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eNCA
20 hours ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Moose meat and antlers caused Alaska plane crash: report
Too much moose meat and a set of antlers strapped to a wing brought a small plane down in Alaska, killing its pilot, according to a crash report published this week. Eugene Peltola died hours after his aircraft -- carrying over 225kg of moose meat -- plunged into mountains near St Mary's in southwest Alaska in September 2023. A report released by the US National Transportation Safety Board found the hefty meat cargo meant the plane was more than 100 pounds over its takeoff weight when it left a remote airstrip in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The presence of a pair of moose antlers on the right wing strut of the plane -- a common practice in Alaska -- would likely have made flight even trickier, the report said, because of their effect on aerodynamics. Clint Johnson, the Alaska Region Chief for NTSB, was cited by local media as saying there were three main factors that contributed to the crash of the Piper PA 18-150 Super Cub. "Number one was, obviously, the overweight condition -- no ifs, ands, or buts there," he said, according to the website "The parasitic drag from the antlers that were attached to the right wing, and then also the last thing would be the wind, the mechanical wind turbulence at the end of the takeoff area, which unfortunately, led to this accident. "If you would have been able to take one of those items out, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. But those things all in combination led to this tragic accident." Peltola was the husband of former US Representative Mary Peltola, the first Alaska Native to sit in Congress. The Democrat beat former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in a 2022 special election, but lost her re-election bid in November last year.
The Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Sun
Moose meat and antlers caused fatal Alaska plane crash: NTSB report
LOS ANGELES: A small plane crash in Alaska that killed its pilot in 2023 was caused by an overload of moose meat and antlers strapped to the wing, according to a US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released this week. Eugene Peltola died after his Piper PA 18-150 Super Cub, carrying over 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of moose meat, crashed near St Mary's in southwest Alaska. The report found the aircraft was more than 100 pounds over its takeoff weight when departing a remote airstrip in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, moose antlers attached to the right wing strut worsened aerodynamics, making flight control difficult. Clint Johnson, NTSB Alaska Region Chief, cited three key factors: 'Number one was, obviously, the overweight condition -- no ifs, ands, or buts there. The parasitic drag from the antlers that were attached to the right wing, and then also the last thing would be the wind, the mechanical wind turbulence at the end of the takeoff area, which unfortunately, led to this accident.' Peltola was the husband of former US Representative Mary Peltola, the first Alaska Native in Congress. She won a 2022 special election against Sarah Palin but lost her re-election bid in 2024. - AFP
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Moose meat and antlers caused Alaska plane crash: report
Too much moose meat and a set of antlers strapped to a wing brought a small plane down in Alaska, killing its pilot, according to a crash report published this week. Eugene Peltola died hours after his aircraft -- carrying over 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of moose meat -- plunged into mountains near St Mary's in southwest Alaska in September 2023. A report released Tuesday by the US National Transportation Safety Board found the hefty meat cargo meant the plane was more than 100 pounds over its takeoff weight when it left a remote airstrip in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The presence of a pair of moose antlers on the right wing strut of the plane -- a common practice in Alaska -- would likely have made flight even trickier, the report said, because of their effect on aerodynamics. Clint Johnson, the Alaska Region Chief for NTSB, was cited by local media as saying there were three main factors that contributed to the crash of the Piper PA 18-150 Super Cub. "Number one was, obviously, the overweight condition -- no ifs, ands, or buts there," he said, according to the website "The parasitic drag from the antlers that were attached to the right wing, and then also the last thing would be the wind, the mechanical wind turbulence at the end of the takeoff area, which unfortunately, led to this accident. "If you would have been able to take one of those items out, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. But those things all in combination led to this tragic accident." Peltola was the husband of former US Representative Mary Peltola, the first Alaska Native to sit in Congress. The Democrat beat former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in a 2022 special election, but lost her re-election bid in November last year. hg/jgc
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
4 injured after small float plane 'crash landed' at Katmai National Park
Authorities are investigating the crash of a small float plane in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve over the weekend that sent all four occupants, including the pilot, to the hospital. The small float plane, a Cessna 180J, "crash landed" at about 2:30 p.m. local time on July 5 near Brooks Camp within Katmai National Park, according to the National Park Service. Four occupants, including the pilot, were transported to an Anchorage area hospital with non-critical injuries, the park service said. Katmai National Park, a campground popular during the peak brown bear viewing season, is only accessible via small plane. National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska Chief Clint Johnson told Anchorage Daily News the agency was alerted of a crash "with four people on board reporting serious injuries," with park officials dispatching a helicopter from Anchorage to conduct the rescue. The aircraft, which can seat up to five passengers and a pilot, is privately owned, according to the Alaskan newspaper. As of July 7, the cause of the crash is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation, Alaska's News Source reported. The FAA and NTSB did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. Katmai National Park and Preserve is set along the northern Alaska Peninsula, most famously known for its fat bears and unique ecosystem. As one of the most remote national parks in the U.S., Katmai has no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska, requiring travelers to take either a water taxi or float plane. The incident over the holiday weekend was the latest in a recent string of crashes involving small planes, many of which were fatal. In late June, a twin-engine Cessna 441 went down in the backyard of a home in Ohio, killing all six people onboard. Earlier in the month, six people died when a twin-engine Cessna 414 crashed offshore San Diego just minutes after takeoff. In North Carolina, a small aircraft, a Universal Stinson 108 plane, crashed in Farmington as the pilot tried to avoid a turtle on the runway just before the crash. The pilot and a passenger were killed while another passenger was seriously injured. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Small plane crashed in remote park in Alaska: National Park Service
USA Today
08-07-2025
- USA Today
4 injured after small float plane 'crash landed' at Katmai National Park
Authorities are investigating the crash of a small float plane in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve over the weekend that sent all four occupants, including the pilot, to the hospital. The small float plane, a Cessna 180J, "crash landed" at about 2:30 p.m. local time on July 5 near Brooks Camp within Katmai National Park, according to the National Park Service. Four occupants, including the pilot, were transported to an Anchorage area hospital with non-critical injuries, the park service said. Katmai National Park, a campground popular during the peak brown bear viewing season, is only accessible via small plane. National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska Chief Clint Johnson told Anchorage Daily News the agency was alerted of a crash "with four people on board reporting serious injuries," with park officials dispatching a helicopter from Anchorage to conduct the rescue. The aircraft, which can seat up to five passengers and a pilot, is privately owned, according to the Alaskan newspaper. As of July 7, the cause of the crash is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation, Alaska's News Source reported. The FAA and NTSB did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. Katmai National Park and Preserve is set along the northern Alaska Peninsula, most famously known for its fat bears and unique ecosystem. As one of the most remote national parks in the U.S., Katmai has no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska, requiring travelers to take either a water taxi or float plane. String of small plane crashes The incident over the holiday weekend was the latest in a recent string of crashes involving small planes, many of which were fatal. In late June, a twin-engine Cessna 441 went down in the backyard of a home in Ohio, killing all six people onboard. Earlier in the month, six people died when a twin-engine Cessna 414 crashed offshore San Diego just minutes after takeoff. And in North Carolina, a small aircraft, a Universal Stinson 108 plane, crashed in Farmington as the pilot tried to avoid a turtle on the runway just before the crash. The pilot and a passenger were killed while another passenger was seriously injured.
