Four people on a Yute Commuter Service plane from Bethel to St. Mary’s went down on Sunday night, killing all aboard, just short of the St. Mary’s runway.
The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center contacted the Alaska State Troopers about the overdue aircraft. St. Mary’s-based Alaska State Troopers responded to the last known location of the aircraft and located the crashed Cessna T207 and four deceased adult males at the wreckage site approximately ½ mile from the runway.
Wildlife Troopers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officers responded to assist with transporting the men’s bodies to the roadway so that they could be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. The identities of the deceased men will be released once they have been positively identified and next of kin have been notified, the Troopers said in a statement.
It was the third fatal air crash in three days in the state. On Friday, two died when their plane crashed into Tustemena Lake on the Kenai Peninsula, and on Saturday a man piloting an experimental aircraft crashed in Wasilla. The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating all three crashes.
Damn, I have a friend that was headed to St Marys, I hope he was not on that flight.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Having worked on construction in the bush for over 30 years beginning in 1973, I’ve had my scary moments as a passenger on fixed winged aircraft and helicopters while a passenger in Western Alaska (including the Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers) and Adak. Back then, seat of the pants flying was all too frequent. A lot of the smaller carriers disappeared when insurance requirements were raised. Weather, less experienced pilots, and maintenance issues are factors still in place today. Several planes and two helicopters that I rode in ultimately crashed. Fortunately, I wasn’t on them at the time. Luck plays a large role when flying as a passenger in Alaska regardless of controllable factors. When I was a passenger many years ago, many pilots received no money unless they flew. This caused some (especially young) pilots to fly when the weather was not conducive to a safe flight. I do not know if those same work conditions exist today.
How sad.
Tragic. May God rest their souls.
Just saw this:
The Bush Plane Engine Died Mid-Flight — and Other Close Calls While Flying the Alaskan Wilderness
‘https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/bush-plane-close-calls-in-alaska/