A charter aircraft carrying eight people has crashed at a remote radar installation in southwestern Alaska, with the United States military confirming that all on board died in the incident.
The plane went down at Cape Newenham Airport, an Air Force airstrip that provides access to the Long Range Radar Site, located roughly 450 miles southwest of Anchorage. The flight, a Cessna 441, had departed Anchorage and was headed to Cape Newenham when it crashed near its destination around 12:15pm local time on Thursday.
According to Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, two pilots and six passengers were on board the charter flight, which was operated by Security Aviation. The Alaskan Command, in its statement, described the aircraft as a civilian-contracted flight carrying eight personnel.
Search-and-rescue teams that responded to the scene confirmed there were no survivors. Personnel from the 212th Rescue Squadron carried out the confirmation, and the military said the names of the passengers and crew would be released 24 hours after next of kin are notified.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Officials noted that only military and approved charter flights are permitted to land at Cape Newenham, where the gravel runway stretches nearly 4,000 feet and sits on the slope of a mountain more than 2,300 feet high, with high terrain flanking both sides and the southern end of the runway — conditions that can make aborting a landing difficult beyond a certain point.
Reacting to the incident, US Air Force Lieutenant General Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, described it as a painful loss. He said the individuals involved were dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment, adding that the military’s absolute priority was providing support to their families, friends, and teammates during the difficult period. CNN
Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and forms part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating within Alaska’s airspace and along its borders.
Further details are expected as investigators continue work at the crash site.
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