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flight engineer. The flight then departed Travis AFB and flew nonstop to Anchorage, Alaska, where it landed to refuel and take a navigator aboard.
At Anchorage, the crew received weather and NOTAM information fort he flight to Shemya, which did not include the approach or field lighting deficiencies. The stop at Shemya was for the purpose of servicing the aircraft before proceeding to Tachikawa. The flight was being conducted in accordance with the operational provisions of Part 42 of the Civil Air Regulations under an amendment to the carrier's Part 41 Operating Certificate.
The crew filed an instrument flight plan to Shemya, using Adak, Alaska, as its alternate. The estimated time en route was six hours and forty minutes. Extensive areas of fog and low stratus prevailed in the relatively warm, moist air enveloping an area including Shemya and that part of the Aleutian Islands extending 500 miles east of Shemya. The flight took off from Anchorage at 1940 and proceeded routinely toward Shemya in accordance with its flight plan.
The flight made contact with Shemya Radio at 0045 and gave its position as 55° 46' north and 179° 08' east at flight level 100 (10,000 feet with altimeter set at 29.92, required for international flights) between layers of clouds with 9,560 pounds of fuel remaining. Forty-three minutes later, the flight reported it was 100 miles east of Shemya estimating Shemya at 0155. At that time Shemya Radio transmitted to the flight as follows: "ATC advises no traffic reported, continue inbound to Shemya Homer, descend to maintain 5,500 feet, GCA standing by 134.1." The flight replied, "Alaska 779, Roger."
At 0145, the flight contacted Shemya GCA and radar contact was made with the aircraft approximately 18 miles north-northeast of Shemya, at 5,500 feet. The frequency on which the contact was made and which was used during the entire GCA approach was 134.1 mcs.
The radio transmissions of neither the flight nor GCA were recorded, which was in direct violation of instructions issued by Northwest Airlines[1] for operation of the GCA; hence the description of how the flight was controlled through the instrument approach is based to a large degree on the controller's testimony. He said that he advised the flight while it was still in the surveillance pattern to expect possible "wind burble" on final approach between one mile and 1/4 mile from touchdown point. He stated that he gave the flight the following Shemya weather information: "Indefinite ceiling 200 feet; sky obscured, visibility one mile in fog; new altimeter 29.86."
The controller said the flight intercepted the glidepath properly and maintained a good course during the entire approach. He said that when the flight was two miles out from touchdown, it dropped approximately 10 to 15 feet below the glidepath and he advised the flight several times to "ease the aircraft up"; however, no apparent correction was made. He said that approximately one mile from touchdown, the flight went an estimated 30 to 40 feet below the glidepath, and he advised the flight several times to "bring the aircraft up," yet no apparent correction was made. He advised the flight it was passing GCA minimum at one-half mile out and was still below glidepath. He said that the flight maintained the
- ↑ Northwest Airlines operates the Shemya GCA as a privately-owned facility.
