There were no survivors from the crash, which happened in a remote area near the village of Russian Mission. The Super Cub was flown by Montana resident Zach Justin Babat, 44, and carried Haines passenger Jeff Thomas Burruss, 40.
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Three people were aboard the Cessna 208 Caravan of Hageland Aviation, and two on the Piper PA-18 Super Cub.
On one plane, 48-year-old pilot Harry Wrase of Wasilla and his passengers, 32-year-old Steven Paul Andrew of Kenai and 21-year-old Aaron Jay Minock of Russian Mission, were killed.
Of the pilot, who is survived by two children, she said: ‘My uncle had the biggest heart. He is going to be missed by so many.
The two planes collided northwest of Russian Mission. A Guard helicopter with medics on board left Bethel around noon to head to the crash site.
Neither Hageland, nor Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures, which runs fishing and hunting charters, immediately responded to a request for information.
Alaska National Guard officials say the collision occurred 60 miles north of Bethel just before 11 a.m. Wednesday.
A string of crashes in 2013 and 2014 placed Hageland under close scrutiny, the Dispatch reported, but improvements have been made, and Johnson said the company’s troubles are “in the past”.
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An NTSB investigative team and troopers reached the scene late Wednesday afternoon, landing a quarter-mile from the Cessna, then hiking through woods thick with alder trees.
