Charter plane carrying 8 people crashes in western Alaska
By Aaron Cooper, Alex Stambaugh, CNN
(CNN) — A charter plane with eight people on board crashed near a remote radar site in western Alaska, federal aviation officials said.
The flight, a Cessna 441, departed Anchorage and was headed to Cape Newenham, about 450 miles southwest, when it crashed near its destination around 12:15 p.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said, according to preliminary information.
Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said two pilots and six passengers were on board the charter flight operated by Security Aviation, according to the Associated Press.
The status of those on board was not immediately clear.
Johnson said the plane went down on land near the Cape Newenham Airport, an Air Force airstrip that provides access to the Long Range Radar Site, the AP reported.
This cause of the crash is not yet known.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation, the FAA said.
Only military and approved charter flights are allowed to land at the Cape Newenham facility.
The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, operated by the Alaska Air National Guard, confirmed it opened a search-and-rescue mission Thursday in response to a FAA alert regarding the incident, CNN affiliate KTUU reported.
Search-and-rescue forces are on scene, KTUU said, citing the center.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski expressed her condolences in a statement on X.
“I’ve traveled extensively with Security Aviation throughout Alaska, and have met many of their experienced pilots,” Murkowski wrote. “I appreciate the U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers, and the Rescue Coordination Center for responding to the site. Alaska is praying for those on board, their loved ones, and the team at Security Aviation.”
CNN has reached out to the NTSB, Security Aviation, the US Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, and the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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