.jpg "HCPH-Riverside-0708-1870×125-Spa (1)")
An Alaska charter plane crash killed eight people near a remote military radar site Thursday, Aug. 20. Two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees were among those who died, according to officials.
The twin-engine aircraft carried two pilots and six passengers. Authorities reported no survivors.
Alaska Charter Plane Crash Near Cape Newenham
The Cessna 441 departed from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. It was traveling to Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in western Alaska.
The destination sits about 450 miles west of Anchorage. The private military airport provides access to an aircraft-tracking radar facility.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers chartered the flight, according to sources. The agency confirmed that two of its employees died in the crash.
Officials had not publicly identified the pilots or passengers as of Friday. Authorities were coordinating with the victims’ families and several responding agencies.
Security Aviation, an Anchorage-based charter company, operated the flight, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a public statement.
Federal Investigators Travel to Crash Site
National Transportation Safety Board investigators were traveling to the scene Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration will also participate in the investigation.
Officials have not determined what caused the crash. Investigators will examine the aircraft, available flight information, weather conditions and other evidence.
Early reports indicated fog near the area. However, authorities have not linked the weather to the accident.
The isolated location could complicate the investigation. Cape Newenham lies along Alaska’s western coast, far from the state’s major population centers.
The airport serves an active military radar site and does not operate like a regular commercial airport. Military aircraft and authorized charter flights use the facility.
Radar Facility Supports Alaska Airspace Monitoring
The Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center manages the Cape Newenham radar site. It belongs to a network that tracks aircraft across Alaska’s airspace and along U.S. borders.
Officials did not disclose the specific work assigned to the people aboard the plane. Alaskan Command described them as professionals performing an important mission in a difficult environment.
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis said in a statement.
Davis commands Alaskan Command, the Alaskan NORAD Region and the Eleventh Air Force. He said supporting the victims’ relatives, friends and colleagues remains the military’s highest priority.
He also thanked the search and recovery personnel who responded to the remote site.
Officials and Alaska Leaders Offer Condolences
Murkowski expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the Security Aviation team. She also recognized the U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, NTSB and Rescue Coordination Center for their response.
The investigation remains in its early stages. A preliminary NTSB report could provide additional information, but determining the probable cause may take much longer.
Families, colleagues and communities connected to the victims are awaiting further information as investigators begin documenting the crash.