Washington DC – Rochester – Buffalo – New York – Pittsburgh – Charleston – Atlanta

On May 12, 1959 at 03:20 PM, Washington DC – Rochester – Buffalo – New York – Pittsburgh – Charleston – Atlanta experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-049 Constellation, operated by Capital Airlines, with the event recorded near Charleston-Yaeger (Kanawha) West Virginia.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

44 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 42 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 4.5%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 38, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Capital Airlines Flight 983 of May 12, 1959, a Constellation model L-049, N 2735A, following a landing at 1529 e.s.t., on a wet runway, was intentionally ground looped and during the maneuver skidded and slid down a steep embankment beyond the boundary of the airport at Charleston, West Virginia. One of the 38 passengers and one of the six crew members died in the fire which followed; one passenger was seriously burned amd all others on board the aircraft escaped with little or no injury; the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was landed within the first third of the runway and the captain said that finding braking to be ineffective, he chose to ground loop the aircraft rather than risk going down a sharp declivity at the far end of the runway. The aircraft left the runway about 600 feet from the far end. Investigation revealed operational deficiencies in the conduct of the approach and touchdown, and that crew coordination throughout the emergency was poor. Because of crew statements, the brakes were believed to have been capable of functioning in a normal manner; however, water on the runway would have permitted the aircraft to aquaplane and thus make them ineffective.

Aircraft reference details include registration N2735A, MSN 1978, year of manufacture 1946.