Cape Newenham plane crash kills eight on approach to remote Alaska radar site
All eight aboard a Cessna 441 died near Cape Newenham as investigators examine a missed approach and the second landing attempt.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
The Cape Newenham plane crash killed all eight people aboard a civilian-contracted Cessna 441 headed from Anchorage to a remote western Alaska radar site, according to the U.S. military, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
The aircraft went down Thursday near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles west of Anchorage. NTSB Alaska region chief Clint Johnson said the flight had two pilots and six passengers, while Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson confirmed that two of those killed were U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees.
What happened during the Cape Newenham plane crash?
Investigators understand that the aircraft made one unsuccessful landing approach before the crash occurred during a second attempt, Johnson said, according to NBC News. He said the pilots could not see the runway and were using cockpit instruments while trying to land.
That sequence is preliminary, and authorities have not identified a cause. The NTSB and FAA are investigating, with weather conditions, communications with the pilots and other factors among the issues to be examined, CBS News reported.
CBC News, citing Johnson, reported that the first attempt was abandoned because of poor visibility. It also reported that the crash occurred about 500 metres from the runway, which is surrounded by mountainous terrain on three sides. Weather observations showed changing fog conditions around the time of the crash, but investigators have not determined whether weather caused it.
Why were they flying to Cape Newenham?
The airport is a private military site serving the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site. Alaskan Command said the site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and belongs to a network that monitors aircraft in Alaska airspace and along its borders.
The Army Corps of Engineers said its two employees were part of a project delivery team traveling to a project site in support of the U.S. Air Force, without describing their specific work. The military had not publicly released the names of those aboard as of the reports.
The isolated location has complicated the investigation. CBS News reported that the wreckage was in rugged, remote terrain and that NTSB investigators were traveling to the scene to document it before it is moved for examination.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.