Anchorage International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Sunday, October 15, 2000 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Boeing 747 cargo airplane began to taxi for departure. The crew hear a 'thump' type of noise, but attributed the noise to the airplane tires running over a rut. The captain continued taxiing. During the takeoff roll, about 130 knots indicated airspeed (IAS), the captain heard and felt another 'thump', followed by a substantial vibration. The captain said he aborted the takeoff about 148 knots IAS, and applied maximum braking and maximum reverse thrust. The airplane reached 166 knots before beginning to slow. The airplane ran off the paved end of the runway into a clearway consisting of soft dirt, stopping about 486 feet beyond the paved end of the runway as the landing gear wheels sank into the soft terrain. The runway had 11,584 feet of pavement available for use. About 1,500 feet from the beginning of the runway, a large amount of shredded tire debris, along with gouge marks consistent with tire wheel rims, were found on the runway. At the point of rest, the number 11, and number 12 tires, installed as the two aft tires on the right body landing gear assembly, were shredded and destroyed. Tires one through four, were inflated and undamaged. The number five tire was cut, torn and flat. Tires six, seven and eight, were flat. Tires nine and ten were still inflated. Tires 13, 14, 15, and 16, were flat. The nose wheel tires were undamaged and inflated. The airplane also received damage to the underside of the right flap assembly, damage to the right main landing gear hydraulic brake system, a landing gear door, and damage to the brake assemblies. The airplane's takeoff gross weight for the flight was 794,200 pounds. For takeoff operations on the runway utilized, the runway takeoff gross weight was 795,300 pounds.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Rupture and disintegration of main landing gear tires during the takeoff roll, and subsequent damage to the right main gear hydraulic brake system.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/15/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 35
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PANC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 144
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 101 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 227
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5018
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 50
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2001 3:44PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N629US
NTSB Number ANC01IA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 747-251F
Aircraft Series Identifier 747-251F
Aircraft Serial Number 22388
Certified Max Gross Weight 817000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHWEST AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5101 NORTHWEST DR.
Aircraft Owner City ST. PAUL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code NWAA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PANC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 35
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KJFK
Destination City NEW YORK
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2001 4:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 11584
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --