A plane carrying eight people crashed in a remote part of western Alaska on Thursday, with officials confirming there were no survivors, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and Alaskan Command.
The Crash
The aircraft, a Cessna 441, took off from Anchorage on Thursday and crashed at approximately 12:15 p.m. local time, according to the FAA. The plane was en route to the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar site and crashed west of the radar site’s airport.
Alaskan Command said in a statement Thursday evening that all eight people aboard the aircraft had died. Guardian Angel personnel from the 212th Rescue Squadron confirmed there were no survivors. The names of the passengers and crew are expected to be released 24 hours after next of kin are notified.
The flight was operated by Security Aviation, a charter flight operator in Alaska, according to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Response
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. The U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers, and the Rescue Coordination Center responded to the site, according to Murkowski.
Murkowski said in a social media post that she had traveled extensively with Security Aviation across Alaska and had met many of its pilots. Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan said he had requested a briefing from the NTSB and FAA to determine the cause of the crash. Rep. Nick Begich said the news was difficult for Alaska’s aviation community.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and Eleventh Air Force, called the crash a devastating loss for the military community, saying the individuals aboard were carrying out a mission in a demanding environment.
Background
The Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and is part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders, according to Alaskan Command.
This is a developing story.
