Anchorage

Crashed in unknown circumstances while landing 12 miles southwest of Anchorage. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and the pilot James H. Hadlock was unhurt.

The four engine aircraft left Vancouver at 1853LT bound for Tokyo-Haneda with an intermediate stop in Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage. While cruising along the Alaskan shore, vertical to the Cape Spencer, near Elfin Cove, the crew informed ground about his position and gave an estimate about 0000LT vertical to Yakutat. This was the last message as the airplane disappeared few minutes later. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Anchorage, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the aircraft nor the 37 occupants was found. All operations were eventually suspended on October 31, 1951.

The four engine aircraft was performing a flight from Anchorage to Great Falls with a crew of eight and 36 passengers on board, among them two civilians, an entrepreneur and his son. Around 1400LT, while flying over the west part of Canada, not far from the US border, the crew informed ground about his position and confirmed that all was running smoothly. About nine minutes later, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in the region of Snag, Yukon. SAR operations were conducted and considerable helps were deployed, without success. All operations were eventually suspended after few weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the 44 occupants was ever found. Up to 2016, the wreckage has not been found.

First Officer Upham made the takeoff, and shortly after the airplane became airborne Captain Christian cut the left outboard engine and feathered the propeller, creating a simulated engine failure on takeoff. The purpose was to instruct the first officer in emergency procedures. The airplane climbed very slowly and, veering slightly to the left, passed over the center of Edmonton at an altitude of 400 to 500 feet. Then the flight turned to the right approximately 180 degrees to get on course toward Anchorage. This brought it back over town and Captain Christian unfeathered the propeller. Power was restored to left outboard engine and the airplane continued to climb. During this interval the tower asked the crew if they had taken off on three engines and received a negative reply. At 1645 Trans-Canada Airlines Communications received the following message from Flight 6427, "We were off at 32, cruising 7000 at 44, estimating Whitecourt at 02, out (from the ramp) at 22." No indication of trouble was given and no further messages were received from the flight. Although this message indicates the flight had reached its assigned cruising altitude of 7000 feet MSL, all evidence points to the fact that it was never above 3000 feet MSL, (700 feet above the terrain). Surviving crew members stated that after reaching an altitude of approximately 700 feet above the terrain, Captain Christian feathered the propellers of both left engines and continued to instruct First Officer Upham in emergency procedures. Shortly after this, the crew began to realize that the airplane was getting dangerously low over a wooded area and rising terrain and that the situation was rapidly developing into an actual emergency. The captain took over the controls and attempted to restart the left engines. However, before sufficient power could be restored the airplane began striking the tree tops. It crashed and burned several hundred feet beyond the point of initial contact with the trees. Two crew members were killed while three others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Take-off from Anchorage was accomplished at 2012, March 12, 1948, and the flight proceeded en route. 2 At 2028 the flight reported over the Wasilla Intersection, which is the intersection of the north course of the Anchorage radio range and the east course of the Skwentna radio range. This intersection is located 35 miles north 3 of Anchorage. Three minutes later, at 2031, the flight reported that it was at its cruising altitude of 11,000 feet. At 2042 the flight reported over Sheep Mountain, a non-directional radio beacon located 85 miles airways distance, 31 degrees, from Anchorage. At 2103 the flight reported being over the Gulkana radio range station, 159 miles, 34 degrees, from Anchorage, and at this time it estimated that it would be over Northway, Alaska, 283 miles from Anchorage, at 2136. Gulkana did not establish communication with the flight. However, the flight repeated its clearance into the Fairbanks area back to Northway, indicating that the flight could receive on 400 kcs, the frequencies for both the Northway radio range and communication. Shortly before the position report of 2103, the flight was observed flying an easterly heading approximately 4 miles south of the Gulkana radio range station. Approximately 42 miles, 51 degrees, from the Gulkana radio range station is Mt. Sanford, the elevation of which is 16,208 feet. In order to provide a safe lateral distance from Mt. Sanford for aircraft flying the route, the airway from Gulkana east is deflected to the north, its course being 23 degrees. Fifteen minutes after the flight was observed flying easterly from Gulkana a fire was observed on the western slope of Mt. Sanford. Except for a repeat transmission of the flight's Gulkana position report, overheard by Northway Radio 124 miles northeast of Gulkana and approximately one minute before the fire was observed on Mt. Sanford, no communication was received from the flight after 2103. Northwest Airlines, at 2150, requested from Anchorage Radio the reported time of the flight over Northway, at which time Anchorage Radio advised that neither the Northway nor the Gulkana stations had been able to contact the flight, and that a fire had been reported on Mt. Sanford. Radio facilities over the route were immediately alerted. Since all attempts to contact the flight were unsuccessful, it was concluded that the flight had struck Mt. Sanford and burned.

The flight arrived over the Seattle radio range station at 3,000 feet on its initial approach to the Boeing Airport at 1357. Shortly before Captain Farris had reported to Seattle Radio that he had 2 rough engines, but he did not declare an emergency. The condition of engine roughness is discussed below. Weather at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, was reported to be ceiling indefinite 500 feet visibility one mile. An instrument approach for landing at Boeing Field was made, but not completed because of the low ceiling and visibility, so the flight returned to an altitude of 1,500 feet on the northwest course of the Seattle radio range. During this time Copilot Whitting remained in the left seat and flew the airplane. The second instrument approach was made for a landing at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, sometimes referred to as the Bow Lake Airport, which is located 4 miles south of the Seattle radio range station. The airplane was flown inbound on the northwest course of the range. Then, after passing over the range station at 1,500 feet, a heading of 193 degrees toward the airport was flown, and a descent made for landing. The aircraft was first observed at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport when approximately 500 feet above the approach and of Runway 20, 5,611 feet long, at which time it was flying at an angel to the left of the runway. An "S" maneuver and rapid decent were made. A right turn was entered and held until the airplane was again over Runway 20, then it turned left. When the airplane first made contact with the runway it was in the left turn, and the left wing was so low that those who observed the landing thought that it would strike the ground. The first point of touchdown was made 2,748 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. The airplane progressed over the remaining distance of the runway without apparent deceleration. Captain Farris, who had taken over the controls of the airplane when it was in the left turn, stated that he allowed the airplane to slow down of its run accord to 50 or 60 miles per hour before applying brakes, and that he released the emergency air bottle 1,000 feet from the end of the runway. Before passing over the end of the runway an attempt was made to groundloop the airplane to the left by applying power to engine 4. Nevertheless, the airplane traveled almost straight ahead. It went off the end of the runway, crossed 229 feet of wet ground, and then rolled down a 24-foot embankment. At the bottom of the embankment it struck a ditch which sheared off the left lending gear and the left wing. The aircraft continued on to the intersection of the Des Moines Highway and South 188th Street where it collided with a moving automobile. Spilled gasoline was ignited, and the wreckage was enveloped in flames. The Weather Bureau at tie Seattle-Tacoma Airport made an observation immediately following the crash and reported an indefinite ceilings, 400-foot overcast, visibility variable one-half to one mile, and light rain and fog.

The flight departed from Anchorage at 0020, November 27, 1947, carrying 11 revenue passengers and 600 gallons of fuel. At 0238 the flight reported that it was over Yakataga, Alaska, at 6,000 feet, and that it was proceeding in accordance with instrument flight rules to Yakutat, estimating arrival there at 0320. Twenty-eight minutes later at 0306 the flight called Yakutat Radio, stating that it was leaving the 6,000-foot altitude and making an approach "straight in." The CAA communicator acknowledged and transmitted the Yakutat weather "Indefinite ceiling, 500-foot overcast visibility 3 miles, light drizzle, temperature and dew point 43 degrees, wind from the east-southeast at 10 miles per hour, altimeter setting 30.17." Yakutat Radio again called the flight at approximately 0316, requesting that it report the height of the ceiling when it descended into the clear. This was acknowledged by, "Okay Yakutat." No further communication was received from the flight. Shortly after the last transmission the airplane was heard to fly at a low altitude over a residence which was located approximately 300 feet south of the CAA Yakutat Radio station, and seconds later the occupants in the residence heard an explosion.

The Anchorage runway had been cleared with snow for a distance of 3200 feet and width 30 feet. The copilot was instructed to hold the throttles and keep them from retarding on takeoff. As the aircraft ran into snow with the left wheel the pilot removed his hands from the throttles to use trim tabs. As the aircraft became airborne the throttles retarded because the co-pilot neglected to hold them. Full power was added, but it was too late since the aircraft stalled and crashed back into the runway.
Source:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19461109-0

Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the aircraft stalled and crashed 2 miles east of the airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Edward H. Dahl,
2nd Lt Richard E. DeMerse,
Sgt Marcus Gluck,
2nd Lt Robert Rakofsky.

En route, while flying in marginal weather conditions and at insufficient altitude, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Deception located in the Denali National Park. All nineteen occupants were killed.
Crew:
Roy Proebstle, pilot,
Peter Blivens, copilot,
James A. George Jr.
Passengers:
Mr Carl V. Harris,
Lt Athel L. Gill,
SIC Bernard J. Ortego,
CWO Floyd M. Appleman,
Sgt William E. Backus,
Maj Rudolph F. Bostelman,
Lt Orlando J. Buck,
Cpl Charles Dykema,
Pvt Charles E. Ellis,
T-5 Maurice R. Gibbs,
Pvt Anthony Kasper,
PFC Alfred S. Madison,
Pvt Howard A. Pevey,
PFC Clifford E. Phillips,
T-4 Timothy D. Stevens,
T-5 Edward S. Stoering.