Date: May 12th, 1959
Type: Vickers Viscount 745D
Registration: N7463
Operator: Capital Airlines
Where: Near Chase, Maryland, USA
Report No.: SA-341 / File No. 1-0050
Report Date: October 23, 1959
Pages: 12

Accident Investigation Report Summary.

Synopsis

At about 1613, May 12, 1959 (Eastern Standard Time),Capital Airlines Flight 75 disintegrated in flight over an area near Chase, Maryland. All occupants, 4 crew and 27 passengers, were killed. The aircraft, a Vickers Viscount, N7463, was destroyed.

From all of the available evidence the Board belives that the inflight disintegration was caused by aerodynamic loads imposed on the aircraft which exceeded its design strength and which were generated by an excessive airspeed combined with turbulence and maneuvering loads. Based upon the evidence the Board concludes that there was a loss of control in extreme turbulence in the area of thunderstorms and, after a steep involuntary descent during the subsequent recovery, loads beyond the design strength of the aircrtft occurred.

Following the preparations for Flight 75, Capital Airlines dispatch had received additional weather information affecting the route of its flight. This information was the first that delineated the location of a potential squall line along the route and indicated that the severity of thunderstorms along the line was increasing. Although it was known that Flight 75 did not have the assistance of operable radar no action was taken by dispatch to ensure that the flight had received this information. The Board considers this information would have been valuable to the flight.

Probable Cause

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a loss of control of the aircraft in extreme turbulence resulting in an involuntary steep descent following which aerodynamic loads from high airspeed , recovery, and turbulence exceeded the desigh strength of the aircraft.

Flight Personnel

Captain William C Paddack
Co-Pilot Michael J Flahaven
Hostess Doris E Gulick
Hostess Sue Ann Wessell

The Aircraft

Vickers Viscount Model 745D, N7463, bore manufacturer's serial number 287. It was manufactured December 8 1957, and purchased by Capital Airlines January 25, 1958. The aircraft had accumulated 4,180 hours. It was powered by Rolls Royce Dart engines, Model 510, equipped with Rotol propellers, Model R130/4-20-4/12, with RA 25842 blades. 

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Many thanks to John Wible for providing the Accident Investigation Report from which this summary was taken. The full report can be obtained from http://www.aireports.com

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