▁and ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁a ▁bla de ▁pen etr ated ▁the ▁fus el age , ▁cutting ▁control ▁c ables , ▁elect rical ▁w ires ▁and ▁engine ▁controls ▁and ▁killing ▁a ▁crew ▁member ▁before ▁exit ing ▁the ▁fus el age ▁on ▁the ▁opposite ▁side . ▁After ▁this ▁the ▁front ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁number ▁three ▁engine ▁broke ▁free ▁and ▁fell ▁off . ▁A ▁rapid ▁descent ▁was ▁initi ated . ▁At ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁the ▁descent ▁was ▁stopped . ▁Due ▁to ▁instrument ▁failure ▁the ▁aircraft ▁desc ended ▁vis ually ▁to ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁feet . ▁On ▁landing ▁the ▁number ▁four ▁engine ▁was ▁shut ▁down ▁and ▁the ▁bra kes ▁applied ▁hard ▁which ▁ble w ▁out ▁a ▁t ire . ▁F ires ▁started ▁in ▁the ▁landing ▁g ear ▁and ▁number ▁four ▁engine ▁but ▁were ▁quickly ▁ex ting u ished . ▁Despite ▁the ▁damage , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁rep a ired ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁service . ▁▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 9 : ▁Fl ight ▁ 5 3 7 , ▁a ▁Douglas ▁DC - 4 ▁( N 8 8 7 2 7 ) ▁on ▁approach ▁to ▁Washington ▁National ▁Airport , ▁coll ided ▁in ▁mid - air ▁with ▁a ▁Lock he ed ▁P - 3 8 ▁Light ning ▁being ▁test - flow n ▁for ▁accept ance ▁by ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Boliv ia , ▁killing ▁all ▁ 5 5 ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁DC - 4 ▁and ▁seriously ▁inj uring ▁the ▁pilot ▁of ▁the ▁P - 3 8 . ▁At ▁the