In a sudden and unexplained reversal, Anchorage Assembly Chairman Chris Constant on Tuesday night rescinded a motion that had previously a September public hearing on his proposed ranked-choice voting ordinance. The decision to cancel the hearing was made without discussion or explanation, and the Assembly voted unanimously to rescind the previously scheduled hearing date.
The proposal, Ordinance No. AO 2025-58, was intended to give Anchorage voters a chance to weigh in on whether municipal elections should adopt the ranked-choice voting system already in use for state elections. The ordinance would amend the Anchorage Home Rule Charter and revise Municipal Code Title 28 to implement RCV for mayoral and Assembly races.
Originally, the Assembly had set a public hearing for Sept. 9, a required step before placing the measure on the April 2026 ballot for voter consideration. Constant’s motion to cancel the hearing halts that process — at least for now.
Constant, who is term-limited and expected to leave office next year, has previously stated his intention to see ranked-choice voting adopted for Anchorage elections before his departure. His decision Tuesday night, made without comment, leaves the future of the proposal uncertain.
Ranked-choice voting has voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing just one. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and ballots for that candidate are redistributed based on the next-ranked choice. The process continues until a candidate achieves a majority.
The system is a point of political contention across Alaska. While it is currently in place for state-level elections following a narrowly approved 2020 ballot initiative, a second citizen-led repeal effort is actively collecting signatures to place an anti-RCV measure on the ballot. The repeal campaign argues that RCV is confusing, burdensome, and undermines electoral transparency.
In addition to being used in Alaska’s state elections, RCV has also been implemented in New York City for local elections. There, it has led to a Muslim Socialist winning the Democratic primary for mayor.
The system is also being proposed for adoption in Juneau’s municipal elections.
Constant’s withdrawal of the Anchorage proposal’s hearing means that, for now, the RCV measure will not advance. It remains to be seen whether the Assembly will revisit the issue later this year or if Constant will reintroduce a similar ordinance before his term ends.
Republicans warn that Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s mayoral primary means his far-left platform could raise taxes, spike crime, and usher in ultra-liberal policies for the nation’s largest city.
Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens, pulled off a stunning upset Tuesday over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the crowded Democrat primary. While the election will technically be decided by another ranked-choice tally next week — as nobody received 50% of the vote — Cuomo conceded the race Tuesday night and congratulated Mamdani on his victory.
“Tonight, we made history,” Mamdani, 33, said in a speech to supporters Tuesday night. “If this campaign has demonstrated anything to the world, it’s that our dreams can become reality.”
The outcome sets the stage for a November showdown with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who is running for reelection as an independent candidate. Cuomo, who has qualified to appear on the independent line, could also still be on the general election ballot.
But Mamdani’s victory in the primary drew a mix of condemnation and criticism from Republicans, many of whom scoffed at the idea of a Democratic socialist being in charge of the Big Apple.
“Leave it to the radical left that has taken over the Democrat party in New York City,” Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Island Republican, posted on social media. “Make no mistake … If Mamdani is elected mayor, it will be bad for public safety, law enforcement, taxpayers and businesses.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican who is considering a run for governor next year, took aim at Gov. Kathy Hochul after the Democrat posted a lukewarm congratulations to Mamdani hours after he declared victory.
“New Yorkers understand that Kathy Hochul and Far Left Socialist Democrats are destroying our great state with sanctuary state and defund the police policies, high taxes, and raging antisemitism combined with failed, ineffective, and bloated government paid for by hardworking New Yorkers,” Stefanik posted on X. “She owns this catastrophe.”
Rep. Mike Lawler, a Hudson Valley Republican, also poked at Hochul and other New York Democrats over support for Mamdani, saying they have “embraced the absolute worst of their party.”
“A radical, antisemitic socialist was just nominated to be the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City — and Kathy Hochul didn’t lift a finger to stop it from happening,” he said in a statement. “On Kathy’s watch, millions of hard-working taxpayers have fled New York State, and now the mass exodus will begin from New York City as Zohran Mamdani runs it into the ground.”
Mamdani, 33, was first elected to the Assembly in 2021. He was endorsed by some of Democratic Party’s most prominent progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, and Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont.
He has vowed, if elected, to eliminate fares to ride New York City’s public bus system, make the City University of New York “tuition-free” and freeze rents in municipal housing.
Republican Curtis Sliwa, a longtime New York City activist and founder of the Guardian Angels — who easily won Tuesday’s GOP mayoral primary as the lone candidate — said Mamdani isn’t the right candidate for New Yorkers.
“Zohran Mamdani is too extreme for a city already on edge,” Sliwa posted on social media. “This is not the time for radical politics. It is time for real leadership.”
In a statement, the National Republican Congressional Committee blasted New York Democrats for picking an “antisemitic socialist radical” who as mayor will “defund the police, abolish prisons, and institute socialist government grocery stores while massively raising taxes on working New Yorkers.”
Even White House senior advisor Stephen Miller weighed in on the results of the primary, chalking up Mamdani’s political rise to the impact of immigration on the Democratic Party’s voting base.
“The commentary about NYC Democrats nominating an anarchist-socialist for Mayor omits one point: how unchecked migration fundamentally remade the NYC electorate,” Miller posted on X following Tuesday’s results. “Democrats change politics by changing voters. That’s how you turn a city that defined U.S. dominance into what it is now.”
In an earlier Must Read Alaska column, I wrote about upcoming changes in membership of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I also discussed the angst this produced in the medical community from the status quo physicians. Read about that here:
In announcing his decision, RFK Jr. stated “the slate includes highly credentialed scientists, leading public-health experts, and some of America’s most accomplished physicians. All of these individuals are committed to evidence-based medicine, gold-standard science, and common sense.”
This week we saw the exciting news that Dr. Robert Malone was named as co-chair of the ACIP.
In 2021 we were fortunate to have Dr. Malone as one of our speakers at the first Alaska Covid Alliance conference.
His comment on this appointment to ACIP was, “I did not wish for this, but I will do my best to be objective, honest, transparent, and rigorous, and to act with integrity.”
I’ve included a link to Dr. Malone’s 2021 Alaska presentation to refresh your memory and provide new information for some.
His research in mRNA provided Alaskans valuable information and helped form individual decisions on Covid jabs based on that knowledge.
Since that initial 2021 conference, we have evolved from the Alaska Covid Alliance tothe Alaskans 4 Personal Freedomto broaden our mission beyond Covid policy.
This year we will have our all-day event on Oct. 11 at the Wendy Williams Auditorium on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, with lunch included.
Once again, we have a truly great lineup of nationally recognized experts:
· Dr. Ilona Farr, our very own board-certified family medicine provider with a private practice in Anchorage, will give opening remarks.
· Mary Holland J.D., president and general counsel at Children’s Health Defense, will discuss vaccine litigation cases and their successes. Robert F Kennedy Jr. founded the Children’s Health Defense.
· Michael Ashley is a former Disney screenwriter and professional speaker. Michael serves as a columnist with Forbes, Entrepreneur and Green Entrepreneur. He will discuss Artificial Intelligence and how it affects our children.
· Dr. James Lindsay is an American author and mathematician known for his work in criticism of postmodernism. He will discuss the rise of Marxism in our culture. As last year’s keynote speaker he was outstanding.
· Dr. Pierre Kory is a critical care physician and president and co- founder of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) now known as the Independent Medical Alliance. This will be his first visit to Alaska. He is an expert in long Covid.
· Dr. Ryan Cole is a board certified clinical and anatomic pathologist and Chief Medical Officer and Lab Director of Cole Diagnostics in Boise Idaho. He has presented at our conferences numerous times and has discussed cancers on the rise following Covid-19 shots.
· Dr. Meryl Nass is an internal medicine physician who is extremely knowledgeable in the World Health Organization, Bird Flu, and the globalists’ desires to control our food supply.
· Dr. Paul Thomas is a pediatrician in Oregon who will discuss vaccine schedules and your children. Parents you won’t want to miss knowing about children’s vaccines.
As we get closer to the event, I’ll provide more details but mark your calendar, for this is an event you cannot afford to miss. In one place you can hear experts speaking on children’s vaccines, the sudden rise in cancers, the control of the world food supply, the effects of artificial intelligence on our children, the rise of Marxism in our own country, and the success of court cases involving Covid.
We are excited about our slate of speakers and look forward to seeing you on October 11. Save the date!
Linda Boyle, RN, MSN, DM, was formerly the chief nurse for the 3rd Medical Group, JBER, and was the interim director of the Alaska VA. Most recently, she served as Director for Central Alabama VA Healthcare System. She is the director of the Alaska Covid Alliance/Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom.
I am responding to various reactions to the Governor’s Alaska Sustainability Conference. Some have wondered why there was so much focus on oil and gas at this time, and so little discussion about greenhouse gas emissions and other concerns of the green energy coalition. The answer lies in economics and jobs. Natural gas and crude oil can be exported relatively easily.
For some time now, I’ve been aware that we face problems with vocabulary and definitions during this “climate crisis.” We need a reality check: Can we actually create wealth from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar?
I’ve been particularly disturbed by the green definition of sustainability, which seems more about forcing a transition to energy sources for which we are not yet ready. Sustainability isn’t truly achieved if the energy source isn’t continuous, or if no long-duration energy source is available. The profitability of fossil fuels is far more attractive compared to wind and solar, which are not easily exported and provide only low energy-density power.
Sustainability principles, such as ESG (environmental, social, and governance — or sometimes interpreted as environmental, social, and economic), were largely absent from the conference.
Sustainability for energy in Alaska must mean ensuring that there is enough of the right kinds of energy for Alaskans — enough to support thriving businesses and industries, to allow citizens to survive and prosper, and to enjoy the bounty of our land. Energy sources must be location-appropriate, leveraging the unique resources available in each region (i.e., hydro, wind, solar). However, the broad sustainability principles used to justify the green energy movement are not currently applicable in Alaska. Prolonged cold and darkness for much of the year demand a continuous fuel supply and readily available backup fuel.
A continuous flow of high energy-density natural gas is one way to achieve sustainability. Long-duration energy storage, such as pumped hydro, is another solid option. In remote communities where wind and solar have successfully displaced some diesel use, these communities will still need to rely on diesel fuel and internal combustion generators as backup and long-term storage.
Since 1980, I’ve believed that hydrogen produced by solar-powered electrolysis of water could help provide long-duration energy storage in remote areas. Today, the focus seems to be on large hydrogen energy hubs rather than small hydrogen generation plants. I’m not sure we’ll ever see hydrogen widely used in villages. I’ve also considered converting gaseous hydrogen to methanol, which allows easier storage and enables the use of engines similar to those running on diesel.
Once construction is complete, the jobs it creates are gone. That’s true of all construction projects. However, most result in some permanent positions for operation and maintenance. Construction also sparks the birth of new businesses that arise to meet emerging needs. The major long-term benefit of a project like AKLNG will be the royalties to the State of Alaska from LNG sales worldwide, boosting the state treasury and supporting projects and services throughout Alaska.
The Trump Administration has promoted streamlining the permitting process to make beneficial projects viable in a shorter timeframe. At the conference, there was discussion about the burdensome nature of the current permitting process and proposed reforms that would reduce the influence of factors not directly related to the project.
Reducing unnecessary regulations does not mean oil, gas, or mining projects will damage the land, but it does allow for a predictable timeline and profitability, which ultimately benefits Alaskans. Alaska still intends to “do it better than anyone else.”
Then there are those who claim combustion engines are outdated or obsolete. But there is nothing outdated about combustion-based energy generation. These systems have proven reliable over time and are far more adaptable to varied circumstances than wind and solar. Fossil fuels offer the most condensed energy form, requiring less space. By contrast, wind and solar projects often consume large swaths of land.
There’s also concern about dismantling equipment and infrastructure once oil and gas projects end. But we should have similar concerns for wind and solar projects when they reach the end of their useful lives. Ideally, we have learned from past mistakes and now incorporate end-of-life planning into our project designs.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated, “Energy. It’s about people and math.” Some critics feel he emphasized profit over people. But if there’s no profit, there’s no payroll. Under capitalism, people benefit where there is profit. Profit allows for expansion, creating more projects and more jobs. Alaskans want energy, jobs, and a functioning economy. Profitability is necessary. This isn’t about building monuments, but about building energy and power systems that serve real needs.
There is understandable concern that the AKLNG project won’t benefit remote communities. But in fact, all Alaskans benefit from a stable energy supply in the Railbelt. If business collapses in Anchorage and Fairbanks due to energy shortages, support services that benefit rural communities will also vanish. That would increase pressure on subsistence lifestyles and require more time and effort just to survive.
Much is said about solar being cheaper than natural gas. But when I look at other states with significant wind and solar development, I see higher electricity prices. So maybe the panels themselves are cheap, but grid integration is expensive. Rooftop solar remains popular for residential and commercial properties and is growing in Alaska. However, utility-scale solar installations require far more equipment and infrastructure to interface with the grid, which drives up actual costs.
Planning for the future of Alaska’s energy systems becomes much easier when we honestly assess our weather and climate and understand the impacts on the land and sea. We must build systems that are adaptable to our changing environment — changes we can both predict and plan for.
Robert Seitz is a professional electrical engineer and lifelong concerned Alaskan.
As app stores continue to expand, advance, and integrate social features, their potential to contribute to technology dependency among minors also increases. It is far too easy for children to stumble across applications that, despite having in-app restrictions, can really be used by anyone, of any age.
The primary concern with this blatant lack of age-related limitations is the fact that many applications meant for people 18 and older are social media sites. This means that young children can be readily consuming content and messages posted by adults. The US Surgeon General found that almost 95% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 17 use a social media platform, highlighting the need for increased regulation surrounding social media use amongst teenagers.
The App Store Accountability Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Sen. John James (R-MI), aims to address concerns about excessive underage social media use. This legislation would require app stores to provide parents with the ability to approve or reject any application their child wishes to download. By mandating parental review of these applications, the bill offers parents more thorough insight into their children’s online activities and expands the digital safety net.
As former President of the Alaska Young Republican Federation, I cannot help but fear the implications of the exponential rise in social media use in children and teens. Senator Lee said it best, “For too long, app stores and developers have prioritized profits over the safety of our children.”
I am calling on my fellow Alaskans, policymakers and parents alike, to support the App Store Accountability Act and keep our young people safe in their digital explorations.
Apps like Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have catered to younger generations since their founding, allowing users as young as 13 years-old to sign up for an account. According to a Gallup poll, American teenagers spend an average of 4.8 hours per day scrolling on social media, meaning that almost one-fourth of the typical day for a teen in the US is used to compare themselves to others and interact with online strangers.
This extensive engagement with social media has raised concerns about its impact on mental health and well-being, prompting discussions around the need for more stringent regulations to protect young users.
Unlike many pieces of legislation proposed in an attempt to regulate technology use, the App Store Accountability act is accepted amongst both policymakers and parents. A recent Morning Consult pollfound that 79 percent of parents support a law requiring children 16 years-old and under to get permission from their legal guardians prior to downloading an application. With multiple different parties advocating for full parental control over their children’s actions within app stores, there is no reason that a simple, one-click, app-store-level method of approving or denying a download should not materialize.
The rapid evolution of app stores and social media platforms has heightened minors’ vulnerability to inappropriate content exposure and social media addiction. The App Store Accountability Act is an essential measure addressing these concerns by granting parents greater control over their children’s digital activities.
Age verification and parental approval mechanisms at the app-store-level is the future of child online safety. This legislation not only enhances young users’ safety but also promotes responsible technology use within families. Widespread support for this bill highlights Alaska and America’s collective understanding that stronger digital safeguards are non-negotiable.
Ryan McKee was born in El Salvador and raised in Wasilla. He earned his Bachelors in Political Science from UAA. McKee previously worked as state director for Americans for Prosperity and now works as chief of staff for Sen. Yundt (R-Wasilla) in the Alaska State Legislature.
Anchorage Assembly Chairman Chris Constant became defensive on Tuesday during the regular Assembly meeting after a video surfaced last week that appears to show him mouthing an obscenity — “F— you” — at a woman preparing to testify during a committee meeting pertaining to the homelessness crisis in Anchorage.
The incident, captured on official video, has prompted widespread public concern, with a chorus of voices calling on Constant to take responsibility for his unbecoming behavior.
The woman, Amber Brophy King, is a member of the “Save Anchorage” group, a frequent critic of Assembly policies and members. It’s a group that Constant openly despises.
Twitter commentary from Assemblyman Chris Constant shows his disrespect for Save Anchorage.
In the footage from last week’s committee meeting, Constant is seen turning his head to look directly at her, doing a double take as he appears to recognize her, and then clearly mouthing the two-word expletive about 15 minutes before her public testimony began.
Despite what appears to be clear visual evidence, Constant forcefully denied making the remark. During Tuesday’s regular Assembly meeting, he addressed the controversy from the dais, claiming, “What happened was gaslighting of an extraordinary type.” He asserted that he was not speaking to Brophy-King at all, but rather indicating that a seat was available for another individual by saying “For you.”
Constant also told the audience that he left the room during the woman’s testimony to take a phone call regarding his ailing mother, an explanation that some members of the public have viewed skeptically.
Brophy King, who remained composed during her committee testimony about the vagrancy crisis, stands by her account. He looked at her dead in the face and said “F— You,” she said.
The video in question, first made public at Must Read Alaska, has been widely circulated on social media and speaks for itself. Roll tape:
Anchorage has fallen. Here's Amber Brophy King's full respectful testimony, followed by the receipts — Anchorage Assembly Chairman Chris Constant told her, "Fu<|< You" pic.twitter.com/eJs44rkXTu
The incident has renewed accusations that the Assembly majority, particularly Constant, is hostile toward public input — especially from citizens who dissent from their agenda. The chairman’s behavior is emblematic of a broader culture of intolerance for opposing views. In the past, Constant was caught making the “L” for “Loser” sign at a member of the public during an official meeting, something he also denied.
It is not likely that the Assembly will take any formal action, though public pressure is mounting. At least two members of the body have privately acknowledged the video raises ethical concerns.
As for Constant, he has given no indication that he plans to apologize.
The public is invited to review the video footage and decide for themselves. But for some who watched Tuesday’s meeting, the chairman’s defensiveness did little to extinguish concerns.
Alaska’s strategic position as the cornerstone of America’s missile defense system was reaffirmed Tuesday as US Sen. Dan Sullivan and congressional colleagues introduced the GOLDEN DOME Act, a $23 billion legislative effort to modernize and expand the nation’s missile defense infrastructure. In short, it will enhance the ability to intercept incoming missiles from enemy nations or terrorists.
The “Ground and Orbital Launched Defeat of Emergent Nuclear Destruction and Other Missile Engagements (GOLDEN DOME) Act” was unveiled during a press conference in Washington, DC with co-sponsors Senators Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Representative Mark Messmer of Indiana, who will carry the bill on the House side.
The legislation advances the missile defense vision laid out by President Donald Trump in his January 2025 executive order, which called for a layered, open-architecture defense shield capable of countering threats from adversaries such as Iran, Russia, and China.
Sen. Sullivan emphasized Alaska’s critical role in the new defense posture.
“The great State of Alaska has been — and will continue to be — the cornerstone of our missile defense system,” said Sullivan, pointing to Fort Greely’s interceptor fields near Delta Junction and the state’s expanding infrastructure.
“The escalating missile threats we’ve witnessed from the Iranian terrorist regime and the rapidly evolving threats from Russia and China demonstrate why we need this now,” he said.
The bill authorizes funding for a nationwide, layered missile defense shield integrating space-based sensors, new intercept technologies, and significantly expanded ground-based infrastructure.
For Alaska, this means continued investment at Fort Greely, already home to the country’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense interceptors, and likely additional military construction to support expanded capabilities. The Golden Dome plan builds on such defenses, by creating, maintaining and/or revitalizing other sites as well, including the Cobra Dane — a land-based “passive electronically scanned array” radar system positioned in the Aleutian Chain.
The legislation also dovetails with the $25 billion already included in the reconciliation bill as a “down payment” toward this effort.
The bill is backed by a host of Senate Republicans, including John Hoeven (ND), Tim Sheehy (Mont.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Jim Banks (Ind.), and Tim Scott (SC).
The legislation also aims to accelerate US defenses against emerging threats, including hypersonic missiles and advanced cruise missile systems, and improve all-domain awareness, integrating land, air, sea, space, and cyber systems to provide faster detection and tracking.
With its northern latitude and proximity to potential threats from Asia and the Arctic, Alaska has long been central to America’s missile defense strategy. Fort Greely’s interceptor fields already play a pivotal role, and the GOLDEN DOME Act appears to lock in and potentially expand that role for decades.
The bill’s sponsors said they plan to move quickly to pass the GOLDEN DOME Act and deliver it to President Trump for signature.
“Alaska is a big part of [missile defense] because the location is sort of perfect,” President Donald Trump has said. Alaska is both the most western and the most eastern part of the nation, with the tip of the Aleutian Chain crossing the into the Eastern Hemisphere at Semisopochnoi Island.
The Anchorage Assembly at Tuesday’s meeting is set to approve a new lobbying contract with a firm that employs former US Senator and former Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, raising questions about transparency in city government.
According to Assembly meeting documents, the firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP was selected from seven applicants to provide federal and state lobbying services for the Municipality of Anchorage. The initial contract runs from July 1 through Dec. 31, at a not-to-exceed cost of $90,000. Two optional one-year renewals at $200,000 each could bring the total contract value to $490,000.
Begich, who also owns hotel properties periodically leased by the city for use as homeless shelters, is named in the contract as the “Lead Lobbyist.” Though he is not a registered lobbyist, his involvement in municipal matters is ongoing. He arranged for the sale of Municipal Light & Power when Mayor Ethan Berkowitz was in office, and his contracts with the city to house homeless individuals in his hotel properties has been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The lobbying contract outlines specific safeguards to address potential conflicts of interest, requiring Mark Begich to disclose whether he is acting on behalf of the city in any meeting or communication with municipal officials. If no such disclosure is made, it will be presumed that he is not representing the city. Likewise, failure to disclose a conflict of interest will be taken to mean none exists.
The firm’s responsibilities include engaging with Alaska’s congressional delegation, monitoring and influencing key legislation, and pursuing federal funding opportunities on behalf of the city. Brownstein is also required to provide at least two briefings per year to both the Administration and Assembly, as well as regular written reports detailing its lobbying activities.
The contract comes at a time when Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and the Assembly are working to increase Anchorage’s influence in Washington, DC, and Juneau amid shifting federal and state funding priorities.
Also notable is that LaFrance’s chief of staff, Susanne Fleek-Green, formerly served as state director for Sen. Begich during his tenure in the US Senate and she served as former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’ chief of staff, as well as her job in the Biden Administration running Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
While Mark Begich is the Democrat uncle of Rep. Nick Begich III, a Republican currently representing Alaska in Congress, there is no indication that the contract would involve any lobbying directed at his nephew, the congressman. But the contract is awkward and does not acknowledge that conflict of interests that Mark Begich has.
Two men were seriously injured Tuesday morning when a small plane crashed at Big Lake Airport, prompting an emergency response from Alaska State Troopers and local first responders. The Big Lake Airport is essentially a 2,400-foot-long airstrip one nautical mile southeast of the central business district of Big Lake in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
The crash was reported at 9:36 am on June 24. According to the Alaska State Troopers, the aircraft involved was a Piper PA-32R-300, a single-engine plane commonly used for private flights.
Both the adult male pilot and an adult male passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash and were transported to a Mat-Su area hospital for treatment. Their current conditions have not been disclosed.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and is expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
