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Crash Kills All Aboard
A charter Cessna 441 carrying eight people crashed near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in western Alaska on Thursday, and the U.S. military said there were no survivors.
“killing all on board, the U.S. military said”
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane took off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and crashed at about 12:15 p.m. local time Thursday west of Cape Newenham.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, said in a statement, "This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski posted on social media that she joined Alaskans in offering condolences as the crash was learned in Cape Newenham, identifying the flight as one operated by Security Aviation.
AP reported the crash happened near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles (725 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska, and said the radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center.
Investigators, Officials, and Condolences
Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said earlier Thursday evening that two pilots and six passengers were on board, and the Federal Aviation Administration identified the plane as a Cessna 441.
BBC reported that rescuers who landed near the crash site "confirmed there were no survivors," and that the deceased will be named once their next of kin had been informed.
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In a statement, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis said, "Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time," while AP said the statement did not provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing.
NBC News said the crash occurred on the aircraft’s second approach after it was unable to land during a previous attempt, and it cited the NTSB for that detail.
CNN reported a preliminary NTSB review showed the pilots made at least one attempt to land but were not able to, so they circled and tried again, with Johnson saying, "It ended in a missed approach."
What’s Next at Cape Newenham
The crash site is tied to a remote military airstrip at Cape Newenham, which CNN described as an Air Force airstrip that provides access to a Long Range Radar Site and said only military and approved charter flights are allowed to land at the facility.
“Only military and approved charter flights are allowed to land at the facility”
The radar site is part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders, according to the statement from Alaskan Command cited by AP and described by BBC.
The NTSB and the FAA are investigating the crash, and BBC said the investigation is under way while the deceased will be named once next of kin had been informed.
NBC News reported that Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson released a statement confirming that two of the people on board were U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees and that their next of kin had been notified.
Security Aviation said in a statement that it would not speculate about the circumstances or potential cause and would defer questions regarding the investigation to the agencies leading that work, while Anchorage Daily News reported the company was "heartbroken" by the crash and extended condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of those lost.