Alaska, United States: A twin-engine Cessna 441 charter aircraft operated by Security Aviation crashed near the remote Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site in western Alaska on Thursday, August 20, killing all eight people aboard, the US military said. The aircraft had departed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and was approaching Cape Newenham when it went down.
The deaths were confirmed by the US military. The aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers, according to Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region. The aircraft crashed near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles (725 kilometres) west of Anchorage.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft crashed west of Cape Newenham LRRS Airport at about 12:15 p.m. local time. It had departed Anchorage and was travelling toward Cape Newenham. The aircraft was believed to have crashed during its approach to the remote radar site.
The crash initially prompted a search-and-rescue response. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center said it launched a mission after receiving a report of an “aircraft incident” near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site.
The deaths were later confirmed by the US military. US Air Force Lt Gen Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, described the incident as a devastating loss. “This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve,” Davis said.
The aircraft was operated by Security Aviation, an Anchorage-based charter company. The Cessna 441 Conquest II is a twin-engine turboprop designed for utility and passenger operations and is used in Alaska’s demanding operating environment.
The circumstances that led to the crash remain unclear. Authorities have not announced whether the crew reported an emergency, whether the aircraft experienced a mechanical problem or whether weather played a role. No cause has been identified.
The NTSB is leading the investigation, with the FAA assisting. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage, establish the aircraft’s flight path and determine what happened during the approach to Cape Newenham. No official cause of the crash has been announced.
