10 killed in Alaska plane crash

plane crash at Alaska

Alaska — An air taxi crashed yesterday at an Alaska airport, killing all 10 people aboard, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator said.

NTSB investigator Clint Johnson said the pilot and nine passengers were killed in the crash at the Soldotna airport. Initial reports had the accident happening as the plane took off.

The accident happened about 11:20 a.m. and sent the fixed-wing aircraft up in flames, said Meagan Peters of Alaska State Troopers. The victims had not yet been identified.


The NTSB identified the aircraft as a de Havilland Otter Air Taxi, which the Aviation Safety Foundation says can seat up to 20 passengers.

The NTSB is sending a team to investigate the crash. Agency spokesman Eric Weiss said one local member of the team already was at the scene.

For many Alaskans, flying across the state is common, exposing residents to a litany of hazards including treacherous mountain passes and volatile weather.

Alaska already has seen several plane crashes this year, including a June 28 crash that killed a pilot and two passengers on a commercial tour in the Alaska Range.