Two small commercial planes collided mid-air in the U.S. state of Alaska, killing all five people aboard both aircrafts.
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It’s not known why the midair crash happened about 376 miles west of Anchorage, said Allen Kenitzer, with the Federal Aviation Administration office of communications.
“Active research is ongoing and we expect to know the results soon”, said Clint Johnson, chief investigator for the Alaska National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The three victims aboard a Hageland have been identified as pilot Harry Wrase, 48, of Wasilla and passengers Steven Paul Andrew, 32, of Kenai, and Aaron Jay Minock, 21, of Russian Mission. Skies were clear and temperatures were around 63 degrees, she said. He is going to be missed by so many.
Alaska is a sparsely populated USA state more than twice the size of Texas, and residents in remote areas rely on small planes for travel, recreation and mail delivery.
In an email the National Guard said the airplanes were a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan carrying three people and a Super Cub from Renfro’s Alaska Adventures carrying two people.
The National Guard dispatched a Blackhawk helicopter and two flight medics from Bethel around noon to the crash site.
Hageland is operated by Ravn, Alaska.
Midair crashes are usually technical and complex, Johnson told Alaska Dispatch News.
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“Initially we thought it was just involving one airplane”, Johnson said.
