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At the time of takeoff the aircraft weighed 81,253 pounds, which was 4,284 pounds under the maximum allowable gross takeoff weight at Pittsburgh for an intended landing at Charleston The maximum allowable gross landing weight for L-049 aircraft for rumvay 32 at the Kanawha County Airport is 83,000 pounds. There were 44 persons on board which included 38 passengers and a crew of six. Two of the passengers were nonrevenue company employees and one was an infant.
At approximately 1518 the flight reported to the company at Charleston that it was in range and had 1,800 gallons of fuel on board, and was estimating the Kanawha County Airport at 1525. At that time the special U.S. Weather Bureau report No. 7 was given the flight as follows: clouds 600 feet scattered, higher clouds 1,500 feet scattered, estimated overcast 3,000 feet; visibility 5 miles; light rain showers, ground fog, wand east-northeast 3 knots; remarks, ground fog rising from the valleys. At 1522 the Charleston tower cleared the flight to make an ILS (instrument landing system) approach to runway 23 and upon reaching the outer marker to circle visually to runway 32; the wind was given as north-northwest 3 knots, and the flight was advised to report when reaching the outer market and that it was cleared to land. This clearance was acknowledged. In a short time the flight advised the tower that the approach was being abandoned and seconds later the crew advised that it was in the clear and would cross the airport, make a left turn, and would again report on downwind leg. Captain Ohm, who was seated in the left pilot's seat, took control of the aircraft at this time. A normal downwind leg report was made and the flight was again cleared to land on runway 32. Tower personnel said the flight disappeared from their view momentarily behind scud or ground fog when turning to base leg but, following this, remained at all tunes in clear sight
According to eyewitnesses, the approach appeared to be normal and the aircraft touched down 800 to 1,000 feet from the approach end of runway 32 and within the first third of the runway distance. The aircraft did not appear to decelerate and just before it approached the intersection of runways 32 and 23 at veered to the left, a blast of engine power was heard at that time. continued across runway 23 and left the paved surface at the far left side of the intersection. The aircraft continued a left groud loop as it crossed the sodded area. At the edge of the embankment it crossed a ridge two feet high then disappeared from sight over the edge of the steep embankment. When it went over the embankment it appeared to do so right wing first and then the tail section, almost as if it were traveling backwards. As the aircraft came to rest it immediately caught on fire and was destroyed. One passenger and the flight engineer-trainee were killed. The time of the accident was 1529.
The alarm was quickly sounded and the fire apparatus responded immediately; however, because of the steep downgrade it could not get closer than 200 feet to the aircraft. Efforts vero largely centered on getting occupants away from the burning wreckage and up the hill.
It was later determined that one passenger left the aircraft through the emergency exit over the left wing; the other passengers departed through the passenger entrance door at the rear of the aircraft, and the crew departed through the cockpit windows.
