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Eight people have been killed after the charter flight they were on crashed near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in Alaska. The aircraft, a Cessna 441, plummeted to the ground around 450 miles (725 km) west of Anchorage, Alaska. Details surrounding the U.S. Military Flight remain slim; however, a statement provided to AP News in relation to the incident noted that the airplane was a civilian-contracted aircraft.
According to initial reports, the twin-engine plane had a scheduled landing at Cape Newenham on Thursday after a nonstop flight from Anchorage. The NTSB has confirmed that two pilots and six passengers were onboard. The names of those killed are yet to be released.
Cessna 441 Crashes In Remote Alaska, Killing Eight
Two US Army Corps of Engineers engineers were onboard the plane and were based at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. The NTSB and FAA have already been activated and are investigating the crash. Weather conditions at the time of the incident noted that there was fog, according to information compiled by the Flight Safety Foundation.
Cape Newham is a private military site and is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Centre. The base is part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating throughout the Alaska airspace and the nation’s borders. It remains unclear what type of work the individuals on the aircraft were planning to undertake. US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force,e shared the below statement:
“This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals.”
Dedicated Professionals Carrying Out A Vital Mission
US Senator Lisa Murkowski has confirmed that the flight was operated by Security Aviation, a charter company that is based in Anchorage. The aircraft had departed from Anchorage at 9:12 AM on Thursday, August 20, and crashed around 12:15 PM that day. Cape Newenham has a gravel airstrip which is located on the slope of a mountain; pilots are required to use GPS and other instruments when landing there.
Weather conditions on Thursday are believed to have played a part in the incident, with heavy fog in the area. The automated observation system, which is not far from the site of the crash, reported a low cloud ceiling, fog, and visibility of just ten miles (16 km). In the minutes before the crash, and around 15 minutes after the incident, data show that visibility reduced dramatically to just one quarter of a mile (0.40 km).
Cape Newenham, which monitors aircraft movements in Alaska and neighboring skies of Russia, Japan and parts of Asia, is part of a network of remote radar sites, and the post was established in 1983 and is frequently visited by civilian contractors who complete maintenance on the radar system.
NTSB Traveling To The Scene
The NTSB was traveling to the scene of the incident on Friday, and investigators are keen to understand whether pilots onboard declared an emergency before they were killed, or if the plane simply crashed without warning. According to the Aviation Safety Network, the flight was recorded as Security Aviation Flight 45, a Cessna 441 Conquest that was operating to Cape Newnham.
The plane involved held registration N128EZ and specializes in charter flights. The passengers onboard were two engineers from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, two pilots, and four civilian contractors. They were due to carry out an unspecified mission. According to the Bureau of Aircraft Incidents, the climb and cruise parts of the flight went as expected, and as the plane neared Cape Newnham, pilots received communication that weather conditions had worsened. The crew then entered a holding pattern for weather to improve for around 20 minutes.
On the third circuit, the airplane entered its approach to the base and descended using an instrument approach procedure. During the approach, visibility diminished, and pilots requested a go-around for a second landing attempt. On this approach, the flight impacted the terrain on a steep slope just west of the airport.
