# Accident 19980102000029A: Doug STCDC6, Mcgrath, AK, January 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 2, 1998, 15:56 local time
- Place: Mcgrath, AK
- Airport: Mcgrath Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: Part 125 operator
- Operator: W4FB
- Location: 63.6103° N, 154.7794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.6103&lon=-154.7794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N861TA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N861TA-1998-04-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Douglas DC-6B (registry code 3021712, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-6b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG STCDC6
- Reported engine: PWA CB16
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 27,000 total, 16,000 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA014) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980102000029A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WINDSHIELD FOGGED ON TAKEOFF ROLL. ABORTED. VEERED INTO SNOW BANK EDGE OF RUNWAY. CAUGHT FIRE. EVACUATED SAFELY. (FROM .4) DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, WHILE PASSING 45 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED, ICE FORMED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER PANES OF THE AIRPLANE'S WINDSHIELD, OBSCURING THE CREW'S VISION. THE FLIGHT CREW ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AND CAUGHT FIRE.  THE CREW REPORTED THE AIRPLANE AND WINDSHIELD WERE COLD SOAKED AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS -10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE WINDSHIELD ANTI-ICE SYSTEM BLOWS AIR FROM A COMBUSTION HEATER BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD GLASS PANES. THE AIR SOURCE FOR THE HEATER, ONCE THE AIRPLANE HAS FORWARD AIRSPEED, IS TWO LEADING EDGE WING SCOOPS.  THE CREW TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR THAT THE TAXI TIME WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE WINDSHIELD TO WARM UP, AND THAT DURING THE TAXI, SNOW WAS CIRCULATED AROUND THE AIRPLANE AND INTO THE WING SCOOPS.                                                (-23) A DC-6B AIRCRAFT CARRYING 24,000# OF GOLD ORE CONCENTRATE WAS MAKING A TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIR STRIP AT A MINE WHICH IS LOCATED ON AND ADJACENT TO A MOUNTAIN RIDGE LINE.  AT APPROXIMATELY 45 KNOTS BOTH WINDSHIELDS SU DDENLY FOGGED OVER AND ALL FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS LOST. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT ABORTED TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND STRUCK AN APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET HIGH SNOW BERM AT THE RUNWAY EDGE.  THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY.  IT CAME TO REST DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY WHERE IT BURNED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA014), Jan 2, 1998: Douglas DC-6B (N861TA), Mcgrath, AK, destroyed. Probable cause: The ingestion of snow into the windshield anti-ice system, and the resulting obscured windshield which made runway alignment not possible. Factors associated with this accident were the cold…

## Other reports on N861TA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19960401007519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960401007519A), Apr 1, 1996: Doug DC6B (N861TA), Beluga, AK, Substantial damage. Collided with steel support pole turning to off load fuel. Backed up. Tail hit above ground fuel tank. Light nose.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.