A tragic incident occurred in western Alaska when a small plane crashed at a secluded military site, claiming the lives of all eight individuals on board. According to authorities, the aircraft was attempting its second landing on the gravel airstrip amidst dense fog when communication was lost. The pilots were relying solely on instruments due to poor visibility, as mentioned by Clint Johnson, the Alaska region chief of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), during a virtual press briefing.
Safety regulations mandated the crew to abort their initial landing due to the foggy conditions. Tragically, the plane went down during its second landing attempt, approximately 500 meters from the runway. The airstrip is situated amidst mountainous terrain on three sides, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to recommend the use of GPS and other navigation tools for landings there.
The passengers on board included the two pilots, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, and four contractors. Among the contractors were two individuals employed by Calista Brice, a group of companies specializing in construction, engineering, and logistics services in remote regions. Calista Brice operates as a subsidiary of Calista Corp., an Alaska Native regional corporation.
The military authorities have not disclosed the specific tasks being carried out at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, located around 725 kilometers west of Anchorage along Alaska’s southwest coast.
NTSB investigators were en route to the crash site for further examination. The radar site, established in the 1950s to provide early warning of potential threats, now serves as an essential monitoring station for activities in the airspace towards Russia, North Korea, and China.
U.S. Air Force Lt.-Gen. Robert Davis expressed deep sorrow over the loss, stating that those on board were dedicated professionals engaged in critical work in a challenging environment. The tragic incident has deeply impacted the military community and the areas they serve, he added.
The weather conditions on the day of the crash were rapidly changing, with heavy fog enveloping the area. Meteorological data indicated a significant drop in visibility just before the crash occurred, prompting experts to suggest that the pilots should have considered diverting to an alternate landing site.
The airstrip, located within a private military facility managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, is part of a network of radar sites monitoring air traffic in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders. The Cape Newenham outpost, once an active radar station, is now sporadically visited by civilian contractors for maintenance purposes.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that the two deceased employees were part of a team supporting a U.S. Air Force project, without providing further specifics. The flight was operated by Security Aviation, a charter company based in Anchorage, which had not responded to requests for comments at the time of reporting.