Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11/F accident near Anchorage, Alaska, November 4, 1994
On November 4, 1994 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11/F, registered N611FE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT CREW'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE THE FIRST OFFICER'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE, HIS FAILURE TO STABILIZE THE APPROACH, AND THE CAPTAIN'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1994 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11/F · all MD-11/Fs on the register
- Registration
- N611FE · no longer on the register · serial 48604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, WHEN 50 DEGREES OF FLAPS WERE SELECTED AT 985 FEET AGL, THE FIRST OFFICER, WHO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE, DID NOT STABILIZE THE APPROACH. THE PITCH ATTITUDE OF THE AIRPLANE VARIED APPROXIMATELY 2 DEGREES WITH CORRESPONDING ELEVATOR POSITION CHANGES. AT 40 TO 50 FEET THE PITCH ATTITUDE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS DECREASING. THE CAPTAIN STATED HE FELT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DESCENT AT 20 FEET SO HE GRABBED THE YOKE AND PULLED BACK. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, AND OSCILLATED AT LEAST THREE TIMES, REACHING A MAXIMUM PITCH UP ATTITUDE OF 12.3 DEGREES. THE TAIL STRUCK THE RUNWAY DURING THE OSCILLATIONS. THE CAPTAIN DID NOT USE VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS AS REQUIRED BY THE FLIGHT MANUAL AND COMPANY PROCEDURES, WHEN TAKING CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. BOTH PILOTS WERE MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS DURING THE BOUNCED LANDING RECOVERY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,084 hours in all; 1,216 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,974 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 17, 1994; 227 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 625,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-80C2DIF (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KIX Kansai
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6R, 10,897 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ANC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N611FE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.