A tragic incident occurred when a plane crashed at a secluded military base in western Alaska, claiming the lives of all eight individuals on board. The aircraft was attempting its second landing in challenging foggy conditions before losing communication, as per authorities’ statements on Friday. Both pilots of the Cessna were reliant on instruments due to poor visibility, ultimately leading to the crash around noon on Thursday.
The initial landing was aborted due to visibility constraints, in accordance with regulations. The fatal crash occurred during the subsequent landing attempt, approximately 500 meters from the airstrip, which is surrounded by mountainous terrain on three sides. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advises pilots to utilize GPS and other instruments for landing at this location.
Among the passengers were two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel and four contractors, including two individuals from Calista Brice, a group of companies involved in construction, engineering, and logistics services in remote regions. The military has not disclosed the nature of the work being carried out at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, situated about 725 kilometers west of Anchorage on Alaska’s southwest coast.
NTSB investigators were en route to the crash site on Friday. The radar facility, established in the 1950s for early warning against potential Soviet missile threats, now monitors airspace towards Russia, North Korea, and China. U.S. Air Force Lt.-Gen. Robert Davis expressed sorrow over the loss of the dedicated professionals onboard, emphasizing the importance of their mission in a challenging environment.
Weather conditions deteriorated on the day of the crash with heavy fog enveloping the area. An automated weather system near the airport indicated low cloud cover, fog, and 16 kilometers of visibility shortly before the incident. However, visibility drastically decreased to less than 400 meters in subsequent updates post-crash, as noted by Carrie Haisley from the U.S. National Weather Service.
The airstrip is situated within a private military facility managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, aiding in aircraft tracking within Alaska’s airspace and along its borders. The Cape Newenham site, which closed in 1983 and is now sporadically visited by maintenance contractors, was the destination for the deceased U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees. The purpose of their journey in support of the U.S. Air Force remains undisclosed.
The ill-fated flight was conducted by Security Aviation, a company based in Anchorage. As of now, the charter company has not responded to inquiries for comments on the tragic incident.
