All eight people aboard a charter aircraft were killed when the plane crashed near a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday afternoon, according to a report by CNN on Friday, August 21.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Cessna 441, operated by Security Aviation, had departed Anchorage and was heading toward Cape Newenham. The aircraft crashed at around 12:15 p.m. local time near Cape Newenham Airport, approximately 450 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Clint Johnson, head of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Alaska region, said the aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers. The Alaskan Command said all eight people aboard the aircraft were military personnel traveling on a civilian contract.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site following the incident. They later confirmed that there were no survivors.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The FAA and NTSB will jointly investigate the incident, with the NTSB taking the lead.
The airstrip near the crash site is used to provide access to a military radar installation, and only authorized aircraft are permitted to land there. The approximately 4,000-foot runway is situated on a hillside, making it difficult for aircraft to abort a landing and turn back once an approach has begun, according to officials familiar with the site.
US Air Force Lieutenant General Robert Davis expressed condolences to the victims’ families, saying the eight personnel lost their lives while carrying out their duties. He added that the families would receive all necessary assistance and support.
The identities of the eight victims will be released after their families have been notified of their deaths.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski also expressed her condolences in a post on X and thanked the personnel involved in the search and recovery operation.
Source: CNN