Anchorage-Ted Stevens Intl

During the takeoff roll on runway 23, at a speed of 120 knots, the captain noted the aircraft was turning slightly to the left and was unable to counteract. As a result, he decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and attempted an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a field located 140 meters the runway end, broken in three. Four crew members and six passengers were seriously injured while 31 other occupants were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed.

Flight CKA779 was a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) contract flight. It originated at Everett-Paine AFB, WA (PAE), on July 20, 1961, and proceeded to Fairfield-Travis AFB, CA (SUU). At Travis AFB 25,999 pounds of cargo was loaded. The flight then departed Travis and flew non-stop to Anchorage, Alaska. At Anchorage, the crew received weather and NOTAM information for the flight to Shemya AFB, AK (SYA), which did not include the approach or field lighting deficiencies. The stop at Shemya was for the purpose of servicing the aircraft before proceeding to Tachikawa AB, Japan for refueling. The flight took off from Anchorage at 19:40 and proceeded routinely toward Shemya. The flight made contact with Shemya Radio at 00:45. It was flying at FL100 between layers of clouds. At 01:28 the crew reported 100 miles east of Shemya, estimating Shemya at 01:55. Shemya Radio cleared the flight inbound to Shemya Homer and to descend and maintain 5,500 feet. At 01:45, the flight contacted Shemya GCA and radar contact was made approximately 18 miles north-northeast of Shemya, at 5,500 feet. The GCA controller transmitted the following weather information: "Indefinite ceiling 200 feet; sky obscured, visibility one mile in fog; new altimeter 29.86." According to the GCA controller, the DC-6 intercepted the glide path for runway 10 properly and maintained a good course. When two miles from touchdown, it dropped approximately 10 to 25 feet below the glide path. At one mile out, the flight went an estimated 30 to 40 feet below the glide path, which was still well above the minimum safe altitude for the approach. When the flight, was over the approach lights, it started to descend rapidly. The aircraft struck an embankment, approx. 200 feet short of the threshold in a nearly level attitude, the nose wheel touching first, about 18 feet below the crest, very nearly aligned with the centerline of the runway. The aircraft slid up the embankment during impact and when it reached the crest, broke in two at the leading edge of the wings. The fuselage, wings, and tail section stopped and settled back on the slope. The powerplants, nose section, and the bulk of the cargo slid varying distances toward the runway and up on it for a distance of about 100 yards. Fire followed impact and the majority of the wreckage was consumed.

Pacific Northern Flight 201 failed to maintain its intended track after taking off from Cordova, Alaska, bound for Anchorage, Alaska. Mt. Gilbert is approximately 28 nautical miles to the right of the flight's first intended checkpoint and is 9,646 feet in elevation. At an altitude of 9,000 feet, crashed into the sheer face of Mt. Gilbert, killing all nine passengers and five crew members.

The crew was performing a positioning flight from Anchorage International Airport to Elmendorf AFB. The approach was completed in marginal weather conditions with a limited visibility due to fog. On final, the four engine aircraft was too low and struck the ground 1,200 feet short of runway threshold. All four crew members were rescued while the aircraft was written off.

The aircraft departed Anchorage international Airport at 0905LT (scheduled time of departure 0845), destination Seward. The flight plan filed with the company by Pilot John Arthur Waide contained the following: Anchorage to Seward VFR via Skilak Lake, airspeed 145 knots, estimated time en route 45 minutes. All fuel tanks were full and the fuel on board was sufficient for six hours. The estimated time for arrival at Seward was 0950. Witnesses saw the airplane flying southeast toward Seward, heard it circle Upper Russian Lake and saw it pass them again flying west-northwest at 0951. At 1255 Flight 6 was still unreported and search and rescue procedures were initiated. On April 10, 1956, at approximately 1400, the wreckage was reported on the south slope of an unnamed mountain east of Skilak Lake at an elevation of approximately 3,000 feet MSL, near latitude 60 degree 24 'N, longitude 150 degree 03'W. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants have been killed.

Flight 785 departed Portland, Oregon, at 0200, January 12, 1952, destined for Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, with a cargo of produce consisting mainly of crated eggs. The crew consisted of Captain Burton L. McGuire, Chief Pilot of General Airways, Inc., and First Officer George A. Simpson. The flight proceeded uneventfully and landed at Annette, Alaska, at 0709, at this point having completed almost one-half of the trip. At Annette, 507 gallons of 91 octane gasoline were added, resulting in a total fuel load of 650 gallons. The fueling report of the Standard Oil station at Annette reflected that the oil supply for each engine was 24 gallons. No cargo was removed from or added to the aircraft; the cargo weight upon departure was 6,177 pounds. The weight and balance manifest indicated a takeoff gross weight of 26,894 pounds, and the load was properly distributed with respect to the center of gravity. The maximum certificated takeoff gross weight for the aircraft was 26,900 pounds. The flight delayed at Annette for two hours and twenty-two minutes, awaiting improvement of weather conditions at Anchorage. Both pilots were thoroughly briefed on weather conditions by U. S. Weather Bureau personnel, and the pilots reviewed pertinent weather information several times. The aircraft was placed in a hangar to prevent ice formation due to freezing drizzle. A solid overcast was forecast over the route from Annette to Anchorage with temperature at flight level lowering from -10 degrees C. at Annette to -12 degrees C. between Sitka and Cape Spencer, and -14 degrees C. at Yakutat. Winds at the 10,000-foot level 2 were forecast as approximately 230 degrees and 45 knots to Sitka, and 200 degrees and 65 knots north of Sitka. Stable air was predicted, with little or no turbulence except over high, rough terrain where mechanically induced turbulence was expected due to the effect of strong winds. Light icing at flight level was forecast. The freezing drizzle changed to snow at about 0905, and the pilots made preparations to continue the flight. A new flight plan was filed at Annette, and Flight 785 was authorized by Air Route Traffic Control to proceed under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), direct from Annette to Sitka (off airway) and thence to Anchorage via Amber Airway No. 1. 3 The flight was to maintain at least 500 feet on top of the clouds while in the control area, join Amber 1 at Sitka at 9,000 feet, and maintain 9,000 feet. The alternate airport was Kenai, near Anchorage. Flight 785 departed Annette at 0931. The flight reported to Annette radio at 0940 that it estimated over Sitka at 1050. At 1111, Flight 785 advised Sitka radio that it was meeting strong head winds and estimated over Sitka in five or ten minutes. At 1116, the pilot reported by Sitka at 1113, 9,000 feet, and estimating Cape Spencer intersection 4 at 1156. Flight 785 reported by Cape Spencer intersection at 1147, 9,000 feet, estimating over Yakutat at 1245. This was the last radio contact with N 41748.