Update:
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A small plane chartered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers traveling to the site of a remote aircraft-tracking radar in western Alaska crashed near its destination, killing all eight people aboard, the U.S. military said.
The crash happened Thursday near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles (725 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska.
The twin-engine Cessna 441 was scheduled to land there after taking off from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.
Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said two pilots and six passengers were on board. No names were immediately released, but two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees were among the passengers, the Joint Base Elemdorf-Richardson, a military facility in Anchorage, said in a statement.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.
(earlier)
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A charter aircraft carrying eight people crashed at a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, killing all on board, the U.S. military said.
The crash happened near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles (725 km) west of Anchorage, Alaska.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.
The radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center. It’s part of a network of remote radar sites that tracks aircraft operating in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders, the statement from Alaskan Command said.
The statement did not provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing. It referred to the plane involved as a “civilian-contracted aircraft.”
Davis described those on board as “dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”
Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said earlier Thursday evening that two pilots and six passengers were on board.
The plane, a Cessna 441, had taken off from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and was headed to Cape Newenham, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The crash happened about 12:15 p.m. Thursday west of Cape Newenham.