Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF and Piper PA-31-350 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, December 23, 1983
On December 23, 1983 at about 11:06 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF (H7339) and Piper PA-31-350 (N35206), were involved in the same accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage Int'L. airport). 3 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1983 · about 11:06 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage Int'L. · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF · all DC-10-30CFs on the register
- Registration
- H7339 · no longer on the register · serial 46960
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N35206 · registry record · serial 7952193
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-31, N35206, (SOUTH CENTRAL AIR FLT 59) WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO RWY 6L. THE WX AT THAT TIME WAS FOGGY WITH ABOUT 1/8 MI VISIBILITY, BUT THE RVR WAS IMPROVING & THE ARPT WAS EXPECTED SOON TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR TAKEOFFS. THE PA-31 CREW TAXIED & WAITED IN THE HOLDING AREA FOR THE VISIBILITY TO IMPROVE. A DOUGLAS DC-10, H7339, KOREAN AIR LINES FLT 084, WAS CLEARED TO RWY 32. HOWEVER, WHILE TAXIING IN THE FOG, THE DC-10 CREW INADVERTENTLY TAXIED TO RWY 6L/24R. TOWER PSNL WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE ACFT IN THE FOG & WERE UNAWARE OF THE DC-10'S POSITION. THE DC-10 WAS CLEARED TO TAKE-OFF ON RWY 32 & THE PA-31 WAS CLEARED TO HOLD ON RWY 6L. THE DC-10 CREW TAXIED ON RWY 24R & BEGAN TAKING OFF TOWARD THE PA-31 WITH 2400 FT OF RWY REMAINING. ITS ESTIMATED TAKEOFF DISTANCE WAS 8150 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DC-10 COLLIDED WITH THE PA-31, CONTINUED OFF THE RWY & HIT STANCHION LIGHTS, SMALL TREES & ROUGH TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DC-10 PLT DID NOT CONFIRM HIS POSITION BY USING HIS COMPASS & THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF LEGIBLE TWY & RWY SIGNS.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31-350 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-31, N35206, (SOUTH CENTRAL AIR FLT 59) WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO RWY 6L. THE WX AT THAT TIME WAS FOGGY WITH ABOUT 1/8 MI VSIIBILITY, BUT THE RVR WAS IMPROVING & THE ARPT WAS EXPECTED SOON TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR TAKEOFFS. THE PA-31 CREW TAXIED & WAITED IN THE HOLDING AREA FOR THE VISIBILITY TO IMPROVE. A DOUGLAS DC-10, H7339, KOREAN AIR LINES FLT 084, WAS CLEARED TO RWY 32; HOWEVER, WHILE TAXIING IN THE FOG, THE DC-10 CREW INADVERTENTLY TAXIED TO RWY 6L/24R. TOWER PSNL WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE ACFT IN THE FOG & WERE UNAWARE OF THE DC-10'S POSITION. THE DC-10 WAS CLEARED TO TAKE-OFF ON RWY 32 & THE PA-31 WAS CLEARED TO HOLD ON RWY 6L. THE DC-10 CREW TAXIED ON RWY 24R & BEGAN TAKING OFF TOWARD THE PA-31 WITH 2400 FT OF RWY REMAINING. ITS ESTIMATED TAKEOFF DISTANCE WAS 8150 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DC-10 COLLIDED WITH THE PA-31, CONTINUED OFF THE RWY & HIT STANCHION LIGHTS, SMALL TREES & ROUGH TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DC-10 PLT DID NOT CONFIRM HIS POSITION BY USING HIS COMPASS & THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF LEGIBLE TWY & RWY SIGNS.
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 for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,563 hours in all; 6,472 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 2,227 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,071 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 20, 1983; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 555,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-50 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24R, 10,600 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from ANC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-31-350 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,115 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ENA Kenai AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24R, 10,600 ft by 200 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 5 |
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.
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.