A Kalitta Air Boeing 747 freighter suffered a wing panel separation shortly after departing Anchorage, Alaska, continuing to its destination in New York before investigators began examining the incident.
The Incident in Anchorage…
On 2 June 2026, Kalitta Air flight K4-935, operated by a Boeing 747-446(BCF) freighter registered N744CK, departed Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport’s runway 33 bound for New York John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The aircraft was carrying two crew members.
Shortly after departure, witnesses on the ground reported seeing a panel fall from the aircraft.
Despite this, the crew continued the approximately six-hour flight to JFK, landing safely on runway 04R without incident.
A post-flight inspection confirmed that a panel was missing from the left wing.
The FAA confirmed the event, stating that the aircraft departed Anchorage and reports were received of a panel falling off.
The post-flight inspection at JFK revealed the panel was absent from the left wing.
The Airframe
The aircraft involved, N744CK, has had a long and varied service history.
Originally manufactured at Boeing’s Everett facility in Washington State, the aircraft first flew on 21 May 1993 and was delivered to Japan Airlines in June 1993 as a passenger configured Boeing 747-446, carrying the registration JA8909.
Japan Airlines subsequently converted the aircraft to a freighter under the Boeing Converted Freighter programme, redesignating it as a 747-446(BCF).
The aircraft was withdrawn from use in August 2009, stored at Victorville, California, before being acquired by Kalitta Air in December 2010, ferrying from Victorville to Oscoda on delivery.
During its time with Kalitta, the aircraft was notably named “Capt. PW Bishop I” and wore the operator’s special “Face Mask” colour scheme between February 2021 and December 2022.
Now 33 years old, the airframe remains listed as active.
Following its arrival at JFK, N744CK remained on the ground for in excess of 55 hours as inspections were carried out.
The aircraft subsequently returned to service on 5 June 2026.
Investigations into the cause of the panel separation are ongoing, with the FAA leading enquiries into the event.
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