In one of the most remote areas of Alaska, a charter plane heading to a military facility crashed shortly after noon on Thursday, leaving eight people dead and mobilizing rescue teams to a location hundreds of miles from Anchorage. The accident occurred around 12:15 p.m. local time on August 20, west of the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site airport, about 450 miles (725 kilometers) from Anchorage. The aircraft, a twin-engine Cessna 441, had taken off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport bound for Cape Newenham.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that eight people were on the plane and stated that the agency and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the accident. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.
Search and rescue teams arrived at the site after the crash and confirmed that there were no survivors. According to Clint Johnson, head of the Alaska region of the NTSB, among the victims are two pilots and six passengers.
The plane was an aircraft contracted for a mission related to the facility. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that it had contracted the flight and that two of its employees were among the deceased. The institution reported that the victims’ families had already been notified and that it was coordinating with local, state, and federal authorities.
The Cape Newenham site is part of a network of radar facilities used to monitor aircraft operating in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders. The facility is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center. For now, authorities have not detailed the specific mission the passengers were carrying out nor have they reported what may have caused the accident.
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The commander of the Alaskan Command, Air Force Lieutenant General Robert Davis, lamented the loss of the eight people and highlighted the work they were doing in an area considered especially demanding. “These people were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a challenging environment,” Davis said in a statement. He also noted that the priority was to provide support to the families, friends, and colleagues of the victims.
Republican Senator from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, also expressed her condolences and noted that she had previously traveled with Security Aviation, the charter flight company operating the aircraft. “I have traveled extensively with Security Aviation throughout Alaska and have met many of their experienced pilots,” Murkowski wrote. The senator thanked the response of the Coast Guard, the NTSB, the Alaska State Police, and the Rescue Coordination Center. “Alaska prays for the passengers on board, their loved ones, and the Security Aviation team,” she added.
Authorities indicated that the names of the victims will be released later. Meanwhile, the NTSB and FAA investigation will seek to establish the circumstances that led the Cessna 441 to crash near the remote military facility.
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