Aircraft Crash in Remote Alaskan Military Site Claims Eight Lives
A tragic incident unfolded at a secluded military facility in western Alaska where a plane crash resulted in the loss of all eight individuals on board. According to authorities, the aircraft was attempting its second landing approach amidst heavy fog when communication was suddenly lost. The Cessna, navigated solely by instruments due to poor visibility, tragically crashed around midday on Thursday, as detailed by Clint Johnson, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)’s Alaska region chief during a virtual press briefing.
Guidelines mandated the pilots to abort their initial landing endeavor due to inadequate visibility conditions. Despite this precaution, the plane tragically crashed during the subsequent attempt, approximately 500 meters away from the airstrip. The runway is encircled by mountainous terrain on three sides, prompting the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to recommend the use of GPS and other instruments for landings at the site.
Among the passengers were two pilots, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel, and four contractors. Notably, two of the contractors were affiliated with Calista Brice, a conglomerate specializing in construction, engineering, logistics, and remote area operations under the umbrella of Calista Corp., an Alaska Native regional corporation.
The purpose of the group’s mission at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, situated about 725 kilometers west of Anchorage along Alaska’s southwest coast, remains undisclosed by the military.
NTSB investigators are en route to the location to conduct further inquiries into the accident. Established in the 1950s as part of a defense network against potential missile threats from the Soviet Union, the radar site now serves as a monitoring station for aerial activities in the direction of Russia, North Korea, and China.
U.S. Air Force Lt.-Gen. Robert Davis, the commander overseeing Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and Eleventh Air Force, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the individuals, acknowledging their dedication to a critical mission in a challenging environment.
As weather conditions rapidly shifted on the day of the crash, heavy fog enveloped the area. An automated weather monitoring system near the airport recorded deteriorating conditions, with visibility dropping from about 16 kilometers to less than 400 meters within a short span, according to Carrie Haisley, the meteorologist in charge at the U.S. National Weather Service’s Alaska sector operations center.
Mike O’Donnell, a former FAA official with expertise in airport safety and accident investigations, suggested that the severe weather conditions likely warranted a diversion to an alternative landing site for the pilots’ safety.
The airstrip, located within a private military facility managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, is part of a network of remote radar installations overseeing aircraft movements in Alaskan airspace and along its borders, as detailed in a statement from Alaskan Command.
Originally closed in 1983 following radar upgrades, the Cape Newenham outpost now sees sporadic visits from civilian contractors tasked with system maintenance. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated that the deceased personnel were part of a team supporting a U.S. Air Force project, without specifying further details about their assignment.
The flight was conducted by Security Aviation, a charter company based in Anchorage, as confirmed by Johnson. The company has yet to provide a response to inquiries regarding the tragic incident.