A chartered Cessna 441 crashed near the remote Cape Newenham radar site after departing Anchorage, with two pilots and six passengers aboard.
WEB DESK: A charter plane crashed near a remote radar facility in western Alaska, killing all eight people aboard, US military officials said.
The aircraft crashed on Thursday, August 20, near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles (725 kilometres) west of Anchorage.
The aircraft was a Cessna 441 operated by Anchorage-based Security Aviation. It had departed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and was headed for Cape Newenham when it crashed at about 12:15 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Two pilots and six passengers aboard
The National Transportation Safety Board said eight people were aboard the aircraft, including two pilots and six passengers.
The plane was believed to have crashed while approaching Cape Newenham, according to Clint Johnson, the NTSB’s Alaska region chief. Initial information released by authorities was described as preliminary.
Search-and-rescue teams were dispatched after the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received a report of an aircraft incident near the radar facility.
Authorities later confirmed that there were no survivors.
Crash near remote radar facility
Cape Newenham is home to a long-range radar installation that forms part of a network used to monitor aircraft operating in and around Alaska’s airspace and along the state’s borders.
The remote location presented challenges for rescue and recovery operations, with multiple agencies involved in the response.
US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, described the deaths as a devastating loss for the military community and the region.
Investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the crash.
The cause of the accident has not yet been established. Officials are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data, weather conditions and other factors as part of the investigation.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims pending notification of their families.
