Charter plane crash kills 8 at remote Alaska military airstrip
A charter plane carrying eight people crashed in fog Thursday while attempting to land at Cape Newenham Airport, a remote Alaska military airstrip. All aboard the Security Aviation Cessna 441 Conquest II died, federal and military officials said. The NTSB said the crew was on its second instrument landing attempt when contact was lost.
The Cessna departed Anchorage and was bound for Cape Newenham, roughly 450 miles southwest, when it went down near the Air Force airstrip on August 20, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Search and rescue crews examined the wreckage and determined there were no survivors, the U.S. Air Force said.
Key Takeaways
- All eight people aboard the Security Aviation charter flight were killed in the crash near Cape Newenham Airport.
- The plane was on its second landing attempt in fog, navigating solely by instruments, when air traffic controllers lost contact.
- The flight was chartered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reach a Long Range Radar Site in western Alaska.
- The NTSB is leading an investigation that typically takes one to two years to determine probable cause.
Who was on board the plane?
Two pilots, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, and four contractors were on the flight, NTSB Alaska Region Chief Clint Johnson said. The Army Corps confirmed two of its employees were among the victims.
The names of the passengers and crew will be released after next of kin are notified, military officials said. U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis called the loss devastating for the military family and the communities they serve.
What happened during the landing attempts?
Preliminary NTSB review of radar and air traffic control data shows the pilots attempted at least one approach that ended in a missed approach, then circled and tried again, Johnson told reporters. Controllers lost contact with the plane during the second approach.
Because of poor weather, the pilots were relying solely on instruments, including GPS, as they prepared to land on the south runway. National Weather Service observations reported visibility of less than 800 feet in fog near the strip around the time of the crash.
The wreckage was found about a third of a mile west of runway 15 in rising mountainous terrain, with a post-crash fire reported, according to investigators. The gravel runway is nearly 4,000 feet long and sits on the slope of a mountain more than 2,300 feet high, with high terrain on both sides.
Why does this remote Alaska site matter?
Cape Newenham Airport provides access to a Long Range Radar Site that is part of a military early warning network monitoring aircraft along Alaska's borders. Only military and approved charter flights may land at the facility, which is maintained by military contractors.
Security Aviation, the Anchorage-based operator, is an approved carrier for the Army Corps certified with the U.S. Department of Defense. The company said its fleet of Cessna Conquests is suited for Alaska's challenging weather and airport environments. For more on how technology shapes high-stakes operations, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
What happens next in the investigation?
The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash, with the NTSB leading. A four-to-six-member NTSB team faces logistical and weather challenges reaching the remote accident site.
Security Aviation said it would not speculate on the cause and is cooperating with authorities. Johnson said investigators will review radar data from the site as they work to recover the wreckage and determine what went wrong.