A small aircraft crashed near a remote military facility in western Alaska after losing contact with authorities while making its second approach to a runway in heavy fog, killing all eight people on board.
The Cessna was attempting to land at the facility around midday Thursday when it went down about one-third of a mile (0.5 kilometres) from the gravel runway, according to Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief.
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Johnson said the aircraft’s two pilots were unable to see the runway because of poor visibility and were relying entirely on instruments. Regulations required the pilots to abandon their first landing attempt due to the weather conditions. The aircraft crashed during its second approach.
The runway is surrounded by mountainous terrain on three sides, and the Federal Aviation Administration recommends pilots rely on GPS and other instruments when landing at the site.
All eight people aboard the aircraft were killed. The passengers included the two pilots, two employees of the US Army Corps of Engineers and four contractors.
Two of the contractors worked for Calista Brice, a group of companies involved in construction, engineering, logistics and other services in remote areas. Calista Brice is a subsidiary of Calista Corp., an Alaska Native regional corporation.
The NTSB and other authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
