Charter plane crash kills all eight on board near remote military radar site in western Alaska
A charter aircraft carrying two pilots and six passengers crashed Thursday near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in western Alaska, approximately 450 miles west of Anchorage, killing all eight people on board. The U.S. Air Force confirmed the crash and described the aircraft as a "civilian-contracted aircraft." The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, Clint Johnson, said the plane had taken off from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed on approach to Cape Newenham early Thursday afternoon.
Two sources · Thin corroboration
A civilian charter plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed Thursday afternoon near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in western Alaska, killing all eight people aboard. The site is located roughly 450 miles west of Anchorage in a remote part of the state. The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, Clint Johnson, confirmed that the aircraft carried two pilots and six passengers.
The radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and is part of a network of remote installations that tracks aircraft operating in Alaska's airspace and along its borders, according to a statement from Alaskan Command. The military statement did not specify what work those on board were performing at the time of the crash.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and Eleventh Air Force, issued a statement describing the victims as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment." Davis said the military's priority was "providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates." He also expressed gratitude for the "swift and tireless response" of search and recovery personnel.