Eight Killed In Charter Plane Crash Near US Military Radar Site In Alaska

A charter Cessna 441 crashed near a remote US military radar site in western Alaska, killing all eight people aboard, including six passengers and two pilots. The aircraft crashed while approaching Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport. Multiple agencies, including the NTSB and US Coast Guard, responded, while investigators work to determine the cause. The victims were professionals supporting a military mission at the radar facility.

A charter plane has crashed while approaching a remote US military radar facility in western Alaska, killing all eight people on board, according to the US military.
The aircraft crashed at about 12:15 p.m. local time on Thursday while approaching the airport serving the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, located roughly 725 kilometres west of Anchorage.

SIX PASSENGERS AND TWO PILOTS KILLED

The National Transportation Safety Board said the aircraft was carrying six passengers and two pilots when it crashed.
Reports identified the plane as a Cessna 441 operated by Anchorage-based charter company Security Aviation.
The aircraft had departed from Anchorage before the fatal flight.
The cause of the crash has not yet been established, and investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, weather conditions and circumstances surrounding the approach.

MULTIPLE AGENCIES RESPOND

Several agencies responded to the crash, including the NTSB, US Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and the Rescue Coordination Center.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed condolences to the victims' families and said she had travelled extensively with Security Aviation and met some of its pilots.

VICTIMS WERE SUPPORTING A MILITARY MISSION

The US military said the aircraft was a civilian-contracted plane carrying professionals supporting operations at the remote radar facility.
Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, described the deaths as a devastating loss for the military community.
The exact nature of the passengers' work at the radar site was not immediately disclosed.
The Cape Newenham facility is used to monitor aircraft operating in Alaskan airspace, making it an important part of the region's military surveillance network.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

The Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center manages the radar facility.
Investigators are expected to determine what caused the aircraft to crash during its approach and whether weather, mechanical problems, operational factors or other circumstances contributed to the accident.
The crash has also renewed attention on the challenges of operating aircraft in Alaska's remote and often demanding environment.