What happened
A charter operation traveling from McChord AFB to Cam Ran Bay, Vietnam, via Anchorage and Yokota, experienced a major accident during its departure from Anchorage-Intl Airport. The aircraft, carrying 219 military personnel and 10 crew members, was performing a takeoff roll on runway 06R when it failed to reach the necessary speed for lift-off.
After passing V1 speed, the flight crew initiated an aborted takeoff procedure. However, the aircraft could not stop within the remaining runway distance. The plane overran the runway, colliding with a wooden barrier and an ILS structure before plunging into a 12-foot deep drainage ditch. A post-crash fire broke out, which destroyed the aircraft. The accident resulted in 47 fatalities, including one crew member and 46 passengers. Of the 182 individuals successfully evacuated, 163 sustained injuries.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary reason for the accident was the aircraft's inability to achieve sufficient airspeed for takeoff. This lack of acceleration was caused by high frictional drag resulting from the failure of all main landing gear wheels to rotate. While investigators confirmed that enough braking pressure had been applied to lock the wheels, they could not identify the exact origin of this pressure. The investigation considered two potential causes for the unintended braking: a malfunction within the hydraulic or brake systems, or the accidental engagement of the parking brake.