
<PAGE>   1
                                UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C.  20549
                                      
                              ------------------
                                      
                                   FORM 8-K
                                      
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                                CURRENT REPORT
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) April 21, 1997
                                                 --------------

                             DART GROUP CORPORATION                  
        ------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

<TABLE>
 <S>                                                                <C>
           Delaware                           0-1946                   53-0242973    
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 (State or other jurisdiction               (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation)                    File Number)            Identification No.)

                 3300 75th Avenue, Landover, Maryland                 20785  
                 ------------------------------------               ---------
                 (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)
</TABLE>

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (301) 731-1200

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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report).


         The total number of sequentially numbered pages is 9.

         The exhibit index appears on page 7.





                                  Page 1 of 9
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Item 1.  Changes in Control of Registrant

         The discussion under Item 5 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 5.  Other Events

         On April 21, 1997, Dart Group Corporation ("Dart") reached a
conditional settlement agreement in principle with Herbert H. Haft, Dart's
founder and its present Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  If the
settlement contemplated by the agreement in principle is implemented, Herbert
Haft, 76, would retire from his positions as Chairman of Dart and its three
major operating subsidiaries: Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp., Trak Auto
Corporation and Crown Books Corporation.  Mr. Haft also would relinquish his
claim to voting control of Dart if the settlement is implemented.  A press
release announcing the conditional settlement agreement is incorporated by
reference and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

         Among other things, the agreement in principle is conditioned on
Dart's entering into a supplemental settlement with Ronald Haft and a
comprehensive settlement with Gloria, Robert and Linda Haft.  Negotiations with
respect to these related settlements are currently underway.  Current
settlement discussions contemplate that Dart would pay approximately $50
million in connection with these other proposed settlements and that Robert,
Gloria and Linda Haft would relinquish their equity interests in Dart and its
subsidiaries and certain real estate interests.  There can be no assurance 
that such settlements will be reached or as to the terms or timing of any 
settlement, if one occurs.

         The April 21, 1997 letter agreement between Dart and Herbert Haft sets
forth the settlement terms to which Dart is prepared to agree in principle,
subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive settlement agreement
satisfactory to Dart in its sole discretion.  Dart's willingness to enter into
an agreement on these terms is also subject to its receipt of advice from
Wasserstein Perella & Co. satisfactory to Dart that the proposed transaction is
fair to Dart and that adequate financing will be available at closing.

         Principal terms set forth in the letter agreement include the
following:

         Payments to Herbert Haft.  Total payments to Herbert Haft of
         approximately $42,000,000, as follows:

         -     $11,619,274 of escrowed funds tendered to Herbert Haft in
               October 1995 in repayment of Ronald Haft's 1993 note to Herbert
               Haft.  Herbert Haft also would receive





                                  Page 2 of 9
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               $700,000 of accrued interest in escrow account, which would
               require a separate agreement between Herbert Haft and Ronald
               Haft.

         -     $11,120,000 additional cash from Dart at closing.

         -     $9,250,000 from Dart on January 31, 1998, or upon earlier sale
               for cash (whether through an asset sale, stock sale, merger or
               other similar transaction) of Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp.
               ("Shoppers"), in whole or in substantial part, or of Trak Auto
               Corporation ("Trak") or Crown Books Corporation ("Crown") in
               whole.  Simple interest would be payable monthly on unpaid
               amount at 5% beginning the later of August 1, 1997 or the
               closing date.

         -     $9,300,000 from Dart, payable in three installments of
               $3,100,000 each on the first, second and third anniversaries of
               closing (with simple interest on unpaid amount at 5% from the
               later of August 1, 1997 or the closing date payable with
               principal installments), subject to acceleration of any unpaid
               installment(s) upon the sale for cash (whether through an asset
               sale, stock sale, merger or other similar transaction) of
               Shoppers, in whole or in substantial part, or of Trak or Crown
               in whole.  Alternatively, Dart could elect to pay in cash at
               closing an amount equal to the present value (calculated at a
               10% discount rate) of these $9,300,000 deferred payments.

         -     Dart's full recourse post-closing payment obligations set forth
               above would be secured by a first priority pledge of Trak shares
               owned by Dart.

         Transfers and Benefits to Dart.

         -     At closing, Herbert Haft would transfer to Dart 122,747 Class A
               shares, free of liens, including shares now pledged for a loan
               by First Union, and would also transfer to Dart his claim to all
               Class A shares that are subject to conflicting ownership claims
               among members of the Haft family.

         -     At closing, Herbert Haft would relinquish all options to
               purchase stock of Dart, Trak and Crown and any claims to
               co-investment or other rights with respect to Total Beverage,
               Shoppers, Dart/SFW Corp. or SFW Holding Corp.

         -     Herbert Haft's employment agreement would terminate effective as
               of closing, with no further obligation by Dart thereunder, and
               Herbert Haft would resign all





                                  Page 3 of 9
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               director and officer positions with Dart and its affiliates.
               Prior to closing Dart would continue Herbert Haft's base salary
               and benefits provided for in his employment agreement, but would
               not be obligated to pay any bonus.  Herbert Haft would be
               subject to the same non-interference covenants that Ronald Haft
               agreed to in his October 1995 settlement with Dart.

         -     Herbert Haft would cooperate fully and promptly (including voting
               in favor of) and not interfere with the amended plans of
               reorganization for the 75th Avenue/wooded lot and Bridgeview
               warehouses approved by Ronald Haft and Dart, which may become
               effective prior to the closing of the settlement.  At closing,
               Herbert Haft would transfer to Dart all of his right, title and
               interest in any Dart warehouse/office building properties (i.e.,
               Pennsy I, II, III and III addition and Ontario, Cal.; 75th
               Avenue/wooded lot and Bridgeview, Ill., if plans of
               reorganization have not theretofore become effective) and would
               cooperate fully and promptly with the implementation of Dart's
               October 1995 settlement with Ronald Haft with respect to these
               properties.  Dart would at closing receive a power of attorney
               from Herbert Haft for this limited purpose, which power of
               attorney would be in form and substance mutually satisfactory to
               both Dart and Herbert Haft.

         -     At closing, Herbert Haft's claim to a proxy to vote Dart Class B
               shares would be extinguished.

         -     At the closing, Herbert Haft would deliver a general release to
               Dart, Shoppers, Trak, Crown, Total Beverage, and all of their
               respective affiliates, directors and officers.

         Conditions.

         -     Dart's and Herbert Haft's obligation to close the settlement
               would be subject to the simultaneous closing of a comprehensive
               settlement between Dart and Gloria, Robert and Linda Haft (the
               "GRL Settlement") and a supplemental settlement between Dart and
               Ronald Haft (the "Supplemental RSH Settlement"), on terms
               satisfactory to the Board of Directors of Dart.

         -     Herbert Haft has agreed in the letter agreement not to object 
               to or interfere in any way with, and has agreed to provide any 
               consents that may be reasonably requested by Dart in connection 
               with, any financing, stock sale, asset sale or other similar 
               transactions by Dart and/or any of its subsidiaries after 
               approval by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors 
               of Dart, Shoppers,





                                  Page 4 of 9
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               Trak or Crown, provided that such transaction does not close
               before May 15, 1997.

         -     Dart would make a secured $10 million loan (guaranteed by Ronald
               Haft) to the "Retained Partnership," which would own and pledge
               100% of the equity interests in the Sully Plaza, Maryland City
               and Rolling Valley shopping centers owned indirectly by Herbert
               Haft and Ronald Haft (the "$10 Million Loan").  The Hafts' 50%
               interest in Shoppers' headquarters building in Lanham, Maryland
               would also be pledged as collateral.  Dart's obligation to make
               the $10 Million Loan would be subject to the negotiation by Dart
               and Ronald Haft of definitive loan terms and documentation
               satisfactory to Dart in its sole discretion and the completion
               by Dart of due diligence.

         The letter agreement provides that the closing of the settlement would
occur upon Final Court Approval, subject to delay of up to 90 days after Final
Court Approval to enable Dart to arrange financing for the settlement and for
the GRL Settlement, the Supplemental RSH Settlement and the $10 Million Loan.
"Final Court Approval" would include, without limitation, (1) final and
non-appealable action by the Delaware Court of Chancery or the Delaware Supreme
Court approving all of the terms of the settlement, terminating certain
putative derivative actions pending in the Delaware Chancery Court with respect
to Dart and Crown and approving the October 1995 settlement between Dart and
Ronald Haft and the Supplemental RSH Settlement, and (2) final and
non-appealable action by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approving the effectiveness
of Chapter 11 plans of reorganization for certain real estate entitites owned
by Herbert Haft and members of his family.

         The letter agreement provides that either party will be entitled to 
terminate the settlement agreement prior to closing if Final Court Approval 
has not been obtained by November 30, 1997.

         The letter agreement states that it will terminate upon the earlier of
the execution and delivery by Dart and Herbert Haft of a definitive settlement
agreement or May 9, 1997.  If the letter agreement terminates without the
execution and delivery of a definitive settlement agreement, it provides that
neither party will have any liability to the other for breach thereof; provided,
however, that if the failure of either party to proceed in good faith to enter
into a settlement agreement consistent with the letter causes injury to the
other party, such party may seek actual damages not to exceed $3,000,000 in the
aggregate.





                                  Page 5 of 9
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Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         Exhibit 99.1          Press Release, dated April 22, 1997, of Dart
                               Group Corporation


                                   SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                        DART GROUP CORPORATION
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        By:      MARK A. FLINT              
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 Mark A. Flint
                                                 Senior Vice President and
                                                  Chief Financial Officer
Date:  April 25, 1997





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                             DART GROUP CORPORATION

                                    Form 8-K

                                 Exhibit Index


         Exhibit 99.1           Press Release, dated April 22, 1997, of Dart
                                Group Corporation





                                  Page 7 of 9
