Eight killed in Cessna 441 crash in remote Alaska

A Cessna 441 Conquest II charter aircraft (reg. N128EZ) crashed near Cape Newenham in western Alaska on Thursday, August 20, killing all eight people on board. The aircraft, operated by Anchorage-based Security Aviation, was carrying two pilots and six passengers. It had departed from Anchorage and was flying to Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles (725 kilometres) west of Anchorage.

The aircraft crashed at around 12:15 p.m. local time while operating in the remote area. Two of the victims were employees of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The flight was serving the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, which can be accessed only by military and approved charter aircraft. The airport has a gravel runway of nearly 4,000 feet situated on the slope of a mountain rising more than 2,300 feet. High terrain surrounds both sides and the southern end of the runway, making operations particularly demanding.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The cause of the crash remains unknown. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, weather conditions, flight path and other operational factors as they work to determine what happened.

The remote location of Cape Newenham, which hosts a U.S. military long-range radar installation, is expected to make the investigation and recovery operation particularly challenging.