Incident
On July 20, 1961, Military Air Transport Service (MATS) contract flight CKA779 was conducting a cargo mission from Everett-Paine AFB, Washington, to Tachikawa AB, Japan, with intermediate stops at Travis AFB, California, and Anchorage, Alaska. After loading 25,999 pounds of cargo at Travis, the flight proceeded non-stop to Anchorage. There, the crew received weather and NOTAM information for the leg to Shemya AFB, Alaska, but the briefing did not include deficiencies in approach or field lighting. The flight departed Anchorage at 19:40 local time.
Flight Details
The aircraft flew at flight level 100 between layers of clouds. Contact with Shemya Radio was established at 00:45. At 01:28, the crew reported 100 miles east of Shemya, estimating arrival at 01:55. Shemya Radio cleared the flight inbound to the Shemya Homer and directed descent to 5,500 feet. At 01:45, the flight contacted Shemya Ground Controlled Approach (GCA), and radar contact was established approximately 18 miles north-northeast of Shemya at 5,500 feet. The GCA controller transmitted weather: indefinite ceiling 200 feet, sky obscured, visibility one mile in fog, altimeter 29.86.
Approach and Impact
The DC-6 intercepted the glide path for Runway 10 properly and maintained a good course. At two miles from touchdown, the aircraft dropped approximately 10 to 25 feet below the glide path. At one mile out, it descended an estimated 30 to 40 feet below the glide path, still well above minimum safe altitude. When over the approach lights, the aircraft began a rapid descent. It struck an embankment about 200 feet short of the threshold in a nearly level attitude, with the nose wheel contacting first, approximately 18 feet below the crest, nearly aligned with the runway centerline. The aircraft slid up the embankment, and upon reaching 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 most of the cargo slid varying distances toward and onto the runway, up to about 100 yards. Fire followed impact, and the majority of the wreckage was consumed.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause cited the absence of approach and runway lights, and the failure of the GCA controller to give more positive guidance to the pilot during the last stages of the approach.