A Cessna 208 carrying eight people made a harrowing landing Friday afternoon at Merrill Field Airport, dodging busy rush-hour traffic near the start of the Glenn Highway, and crashing through the airport’s perimeter fence before finally coming to a stop in a vacant field.
The incident occurred just before 4 pm, prompting an immediate dispatch of Anchorage Fire Department and Anchorage Police. However, many emergency crews were cleared before they even arrived on scene, the fire department reported, as it quickly became clear that no one on board had sustained serious injuries.
The aircraft is registered to Hinterland Holdings LLC, an Anchorage-based company that owns Alaska Air Transit, a regional charter service operating in Alaska since the 1990s and owned by Alaskans. The company specializes in passenger charter and cargo service across the state.
Miraculously, all eight occupants of the aircraft walked away without the need for medical treatment, aside from what fire officials described as a “courtesy ride” from the scene. The Anchorage Fire Department remarked that “the best calls are the ones where our technical services aren’t needed.”
Merrill Field, located just east of downtown Anchorage, is one of the most active general aviation airports in Alaska and plays a crucial role in connecting the city with remote villages and bush communities. The airport is home to over 800 aircraft, including 786 single-engine planes, 41 multi-engine planes, 16 helicopters, and even a glider.
Where the plane touched down is near where East 5th Avenue becomes the Glenn Highway — one of the most congested traffic spots in Alaska.
It wasn’t just a vacant field, it is the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) that is was this area is for.
It’s always nice to have God on board. Anyone who has had an air scare knows it.
Angels live among us….
Why???
Please, how about the rest of the story…..
Why, what went wrong???
There is more to this story… What was the pilot doing trying to land on the highway? Glad everyone walked away. I’ve ridden many hours in Cessna 208 Caravans – very reliable aircraft.
lol …. I said to my wife years ago “They should build something on that lot, it’s a good location”
And she naturally just knew what you are saying here & explained it to me.
She is the smarter half of the relationship.
A brand-new car dealership was built on that lot with permits approved by the municipality and the State of Alaska. After it was built, the decision was made to purchase it, tear it down and use the area as an RPZ.
That’s government inefficiency at its best…….
I left my house around noon or 1pm Friday when i noticed this plane or one very similar come screaming into the south end of the runway for a tailwind landing. He came in with so much speed I was concerned then if it had enough runway to stop. Then I wondered why it approached from that direction with the brisk south wind at that time.
Any landing you walk away from is a good landing……….Even one you limp away from under your own power isn’t all that bad.
And if you can walk away from the landing and get a kiss or two from a pretty girl, it’s a fantastic landing…!!!
Hahaha….thanks sd….😉