Alaska Airlines Flight 779
Encyclopedia
Alaska Airlines Flight 779 was a Douglas DC-6
operating under contract to the United States Air Force's Military Air Transport Service
. On July 21, 1961, it crashed at Shemya
, Alaska, killing all six on board.
Flight 779 flew from Everett, Washington to Travis Air Force Base
, California. After being loaded with cargo, the flight proceeded to Anchorage, enroute to Tachikawa AFB, Japan
. The flight to Anchorage proceeded normally, and the plane was refuelled at Anchorage for the flight to Shemya, its next stop before Japan.
The crew received weather briefings for the flight to Shemya, although the field's deficiencies were not noted. The flight departed Anchorage normally at 19:40, proceeding to Shemya. Contacting Shemya at 00:40 while in cloud cover at 10,000 feet, the crew expected to arrive at the airport at 01:55. At 01:28 the flight was cleared to descend to 5500 feet; it was then 100 miles from the airport.
Shemya was contacted again at 01:45; the flight was 18 miles away. Shemya notified the crew that the airport was clear, and there was one mile visibility in the light fog. The crew intercepted the glidepath normally for runway 10. Approximately 2 miles from touchdown, the flight dipped below the glidepath. By the time the flight was one mile out, it was approximately 40 to 50 feet below the glidepath, though still within the minimum allowable tolerances.
Approximately 200 feet from the end of the runway
, the flight descended into an embankment, very nearly lined up with the runway centerline. The aircraft broke apart on the embankment, separating into several pieces. A fire followed impact, and most of the aircraft was consumed. All six occupants were killed in the crash.
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
operating under contract to the United States Air Force's Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
. On July 21, 1961, it crashed at Shemya
Shemya
Shemya or Simiya is a small island in the Near Islands group of the Semichi Islands chain in the Aleutian Islands archipelago southwest of Alaska, at . It has a land area of 5.903 sq mi , and is about 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska.The Russian vessel Saint Peter and Paul wrecked at...
, Alaska, killing all six on board.
Synopsis
On July 21, 1961, Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
Flight 779 flew from Everett, Washington to Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
, California. After being loaded with cargo, the flight proceeded to Anchorage, enroute to Tachikawa AFB, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The flight to Anchorage proceeded normally, and the plane was refuelled at Anchorage for the flight to Shemya, its next stop before Japan.
The crew received weather briefings for the flight to Shemya, although the field's deficiencies were not noted. The flight departed Anchorage normally at 19:40, proceeding to Shemya. Contacting Shemya at 00:40 while in cloud cover at 10,000 feet, the crew expected to arrive at the airport at 01:55. At 01:28 the flight was cleared to descend to 5500 feet; it was then 100 miles from the airport.
Shemya was contacted again at 01:45; the flight was 18 miles away. Shemya notified the crew that the airport was clear, and there was one mile visibility in the light fog. The crew intercepted the glidepath normally for runway 10. Approximately 2 miles from touchdown, the flight dipped below the glidepath. By the time the flight was one mile out, it was approximately 40 to 50 feet below the glidepath, though still within the minimum allowable tolerances.
Approximately 200 feet from the end of the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
, the flight descended into an embankment, very nearly lined up with the runway centerline. The aircraft broke apart on the embankment, separating into several pieces. A fire followed impact, and most of the aircraft was consumed. All six occupants were killed in the crash.