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The Guardian
3 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker's husband
Antlers strapped to a wing and too much moose meat on board caused a small plane crash that killed the husband of then Alaska Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola in 2023, according to a US national transportation safety board (NTSB) report that was recently released. Though the report doesn't name him, Eugene 'Buzzy' Peltola Jr was the pilot and lone person on the Piper PA-18 plane involved in the deadly wreck, which occurred near St Mary's, Alaska, on 12 September 2023, officials had previously said. Peltola Jr, 57, had taken some hunters to a remote wilderness area where they killed a moose, said the NTSB report published Tuesday. When the crash that ended his life happened, the report said, he was flying alone while carrying enough moose meat to push the plane past 'its maximum certified gross weight' by nearly 120lbs. The doomed pilot had also installed 'an unapproved external load' – in his case, antlers tied to the right wing strut – at the time the plane went down. Peltola Jr ultimately ended 'degraded takeoff performance and flight characteristics', leading to his losing control of the plane, shortly before the fatal wreck, NTSB investigators said. As the NTSB recounted, it was his second trip flying moose meat that day. Peltola and the hunters had loaded an initial batch of meat on the plane that afternoon, and he had uneventfully ferried it to a local airport. He flew back to the hunters about four hours for what was supposed to be a second and final load of moose meat. The group strapped into the rear passenger seat as well as packed it into the airplane's belly pod, 'which did not have tie-down provision', the 16-page NTSB report noted. Peltola Jr then tied moose antlers to the right wing strut, the report said, leaving them 'cupped upward and perpendicular to the direction of flight'. The report said the pilot had weighed the cargo with scales, and it turned out the plane was 117lbs – roughly 6% – over its maximum takeoff weight. Investigators wrote that the hunters watched Peltola Jr as he evidently struggled to take off and were relieved at first to see his plane become airborne, watching it vanish from view behind a ridge. But the plane did not reappear from behind the ridge and 'had crashed just beyond their view in the opposite direction of takeoff,' the NTSB report recounted. Two hunters provided first aid to Peltola Jr, who the NTSB said initially survived the crash. However, he died from his injuries within hours, according to the agency. Peltola Jr was the former Alaska regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He had also spent more than three decades working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and he served as vice-mayor and council member for the city of Bethel, Alaska. Shortly after her husband's death, Mary Peltola's chief of staff at the time, Anton McParland, said in a media statement that Eugene was 'completely devoted' to his family. 'And he simply adored Mary,' McParland's statement said. Peltola became the first Alaska Native in Congress when she won her US House seat in a special election and then retained it in the 2022 midterm elections, twice beating the former governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. She lost her November 2024 re-election bid to Republican opponent Nick Begich III and is now the senior director of Alaska affairs at the Holland & Hart law firm.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
8 people who died in Lake Tahoe boat accident were not wearing life vests, NTSB says
RENO, NV — None of the eight people who died last month after a 28-foot power boat capsized on Lake Tahoe during a sudden storm were wearing life vests, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report. Ten people, including the boat's operator, were on board a privately owned Chris-Craft vessel on June 21 when a sudden storm hit, bringing high winds, 8- to 10-foot waves, and marble-sized hail, according to the National Transportation Safety Board report released on July 23. As weather conditions worsened, the boat became inundated with water and overturned. Weather conditions in the area were mostly calm with clear skies and light winds when the boat left shortly before 12 p.m. local time on June 21, according to the NTSB. The report noted that although the local forecast showed a slight chance of thunderstorms, there were no marine warnings or small craft advisories issued for the area on that day. But about two hours after the boat went out to Emerald Bay on the western side of the lake, the NTSB said the winds, rain, and waves increased, with whitecaps captured on time-lapse footage at around 2:36 p.m. local time. Hail collected in the vessel, and waves began to break over the sides as the operator attempted to return to the marina. "The boat took on water and some of the passengers attempted to bail the water out of the boat," the report states. "At one point, a particularly large wave overtook the boat." All 10 on board were thrown into the water, and only two — a mother and daughter — were rescued. The bodies of six victims were recovered that day and dive teams found two victims submerged 300 feet under the surface on June 22 and 23, the Reno Gazette Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, previously reported. The NTSB said its investigation into the accident remains ongoing, but no timeline was provided for when a final report would be complete. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office is conducting its investigation. None of the victims killed in the boat accident were wearing life vests One of the passengers put on a life vest and started handing them out to the other nine passengers, according to the report. She was the only passenger wearing a life vest when the boat overturned, while the second survivor was clinging to a personal flotation device when she was rescued. "No one else immediately donned their (personal flotation device). Shortly after, the boat rolled over to starboard, and the passengers entered the water," the report states. "The survivor recalled that it started snowing after the boat rolled over while the people were in the water. No distress calls were made from the boat." At around 2:57 p.m. local time, hikers on shore witnessed the vessel capsize after a "large wave washed over it," the report added. About a minute later, one of the hikers called 911 to report the accident. Multiple emergency agencies responded to the scene and recovered eight people, including the two survivors, according to the report. The two survivors were transported to a hospital for medical treatment. Six people, including the boat operator, were pronounced dead at the scene. The report noted that none of the six were wearing life vests. The two other victims were recovered from the lake bottom near the casualty site the next day. Authorities recovered four life vests and one life preserver ring, which were all from the vessel, from the accident site, according to the report. NTSB report 'confirms the deep tragedy of this accident' The two survivors who were rescued from the water were identified as Amy Friduss and her mother, Julie Lindsay. Friduss' father and Lindsay's husband, Stephen, 63, of Springwater, New York, was among those killed. Family spokesperson Sam Springer said they are extended family members of the boat's owner, DoorDash executive Joshua Pickles, and his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich, who all died. Joshua Pickles' uncle, Peter Bayes, and family friends were also killed in the incident. Singer, who is also a spokesperson for Pickles' widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, shared a statement after the NTSB's preliminary report was released. 'The report confirms the deep tragedy of this accident which claimed the lives of Josh Pickles, his father, mother, uncle and friends," the statement reads. "Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard is profoundly thankful for the rescue efforts made by so many first responders and good Samaritans in the tragic situation." Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
USA Today
a day ago
- General
- USA Today
Plane was overweight with moose meat, antlers before fatal crash in Alaska, NTSB says
An Alaska plane crash that killed the husband of former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) was likely caused by excess moose meat weight and antlers on board, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board. Eugene "Buzzy" Peltola Jr. was flying a plane in a remote wilderness area in St. Mary's, Alaska, during a hunting trip on Sept. 12, 2023, when it crashed. He died from blunt force injuries a few hours after the accident, according to the NTSB. NTSB's final report about the crash, which was released July 22, said the plane was "heavily loaded" with moose meat, and antlers were mounted to its right wing without proper authorization. As a result, the plane was overloaded by more than 100 pounds, and the antlers interfered with takeoff, likely causing the crash, according to the NTSB. Plane crash: Plane crashes in Russia's far east, nearly 50 people on board feared dead Plane was carrying second load of moose meat when it crashed Peltola was transporting moose meat in two separate loads to an operating base after a hunting trip. After Peltola successfully completed a trip to transport the first load, the hunters loaded the plane, a Piper PA, more heavily with meat for the second trip, NTSB said in the report. In addition to carrying about 520 pounds of moose meat, the plane was also transporting antlers attached to the right wing during that trip. In total, the plane's weight was 117 pounds over the maximum allowed, according to the NTSB. While carrying antlers externally is a common practice in Alaska, it requires special approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which the plane did not have, according to the NTSB. During takeoff, the plane became airborne before crashing moments later. Peltola survived the initial impact but died less than two hours later, the report said. According to the NTSB's report, the probable cause of the crash was a combination of the airplane carrying more than its maximum approved weight as well as the external load of antlers, which likely degraded the plane's performance during takeoff. Pilot who died in plane crash was husband of former Alaska congresswoman Eugene Peltola Jr. previously served as regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Alaska before his death. He had his pilot's license since 1993, according to the NTSB. He was also married to former Rep. Mary Peltola, who served in Congress from 2022 until her reelection loss last year. Rep. Peltola's office said in a statement at the time of her husband's death that they were "heartbroken for the family's loss." "He was one of those people that was obnoxiously good at everything. He had a delightful sense of humor that lightened the darkest moments," the statement said. Former President Joe Biden also issued a statement following Peltola's death, calling him "a devoted public servant" and "friend to all." "Spend even a minute with Mary and you'll feel the love she has for her state and its people, and most of all, the love she has for her husband and their seven children," the statement said. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
New York Post
a day ago
- Climate
- New York Post
Eight who died when boat capsized on Lake Tahoe were not wearing life vests, investigators say
None of the eight people killed when a boat capsized during a sudden and fierce storm last month on Lake Tahoe in California were wearing life vests, federal investigators said in an initial report released Wednesday. Four members of a family who were celebrating a birthday were among those who died when the 28-foot gold Chris-Craft vessel was inundated and flipped over amid 10-foot waves June 21 on the lake's western edge. Weather was mostly calm when the party of 10 left the marina around noon, but within about two hours winds were strong enough to create whitecaps, according to the preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board. 3 The National Transportation Safety Board found that none of the eight people who died were wearing life jackets. USCG By 2:30 p.m., as the boat was returning to shore, it began to hail and the vessel ended up sideways to the growing waves. 'The boat took on water and some of the passengers attempted to bail the water out of the boat,' the report states. 'At one point, a particularly large wave overtook the boat.' Two people were rescued immediately after it flipped over. One of the survivors was found clinging to a life vest and the other was wearing one, according to the report. Six people were found dead that afternoon and evening and two more bodies were discovered the next day. 3 The boat capsized on June 21, 2025 on the lake's western edge. USCG None of the people found dead had been wearing life vests, the report said. Four life vests and one life preserver ring from the boat were recovered from the accident site. Hikers on shore called 911 after witnessing the vessel capsize. No distress calls were made from the boat, the report said. Toxicology tests for alcohol and other drugs for the deceased were conducted, and results are pending, officials said. Snow was reported on the shore and a nearby weather station recorded a top wind gust of 39 mph at around the time of the accident shortly after 3 p.m. By 4 p.m., the weather began to clear, and the skies were cloudless again shortly before 5:30 p.m., the report said. 3 The NTSB said weather conditions changed for the worse after the party of 10 was already on the lake. AP The intensity of the thunderstorm surprised even forecasters, who had predicted rain but nothing like the squall that lashed the southern part of the lake. Drowning and other accidental deaths occur each year on the lake, but boating accidents with numerous fatalities are rare, South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Scott Crivelli said last month. There are an average of six deaths on the lake each summer, though there were a record 15 fatalities in 2021, he said.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Climate
- Los Angeles Times
Life jackets made critical difference in Tahoe tragedy, report shows. None of the 8 killed wore one
None of the eight people killed in a horrific boating accident in Lake Tahoe in June were wearing life jackets, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday. The report indicates that the decision on whether to don a life jacket when a pleasant day devolved into a freak storm made a critical difference in the passengers' fate. The tragedy unfolded on June 21 when a 28-foot-long boat carrying 10 people capsized on the California lake amid 8-foot waves, snow and hail. The water temperature was a chilling 54 degrees. Officials warn that water below 70 degrees is cold enough to cause hypothermia if a person is exposed to the conditions for a long enough period of time. Six people were found dead in the water without life jackets that afternoon, while two bodies were discovered on the lake floor near the accident site the following day. Of the two people who survived, one was found wearing a life jacket and the other was found clinging to a life jacket. The drowning victims were DoorDash executive Joshua Pickles and his parents, Terry Pickles and Paula Bozinovich, his uncle Peter Bayes and four of their friends. The two survivors were Amy Friduss and her mother, Julie Lindsay. Lindsay's husband and Friduss' father, Stephen Lindsay, also died in the accident. According to the report, one of the survivors put on a life jacket and began distributing them to other passengers after the stormy weather sent a large wave over the boat. 'No one else immediately donned their PFD [personal flotation device],' the report states. 'Shortly after, the boat rolled over to starboard, and the passengers entered the water. The survivor recalled that it started snowing after the boat rolled over while the people were in the water.' A salvage company later recovered the boat, which was examined by investigators from the NTSB and U.S. Coast Guard. 'Investigators did not find any evidence of a hull leak, grounding, or contact with an object,' the report states. 'On the vessel, investigators found one PFD still in its plastic packaging with tags on it, one infant life vest still in its packaging, an unzipped life vest stowage bag, and five inflatable PFDs in stowage compartments.' The privately owned Chris-Craft boat called Over the Moon set out for a day of recreating on Lake Tahoe on the morning of June 21. It was built in 2023 and valued at $393,000, according to the report. The weather was pleasant with clear skies, light winds and an air temperature in the 50s. The National Weather Service had not issued any marine warnings or small-craft advisories for the Lake Tahoe area that day; however, the area forecast indicated a slight chance of thunderstorms. Four adults including the two registered boat owners departed at 10:40 a.m. from the boat ramp, six additional passengers boarded at a marina, and the whole crew headed to Emerald Bay around noon, according to the report. This tucked-away cove is one of the most iconic areas of the lake, known for its turquoise waters, steep granite cliffs and dense pine forests. The boat anchored there for around 90 minutes before the weather suddenly shifted around 2 p.m. and the driver decided to head back to the marina. By then, the wind, rain and waves had picked up, so the driver returned to the bay. Ten minutes later, he made a second attempt to travel back to the marina. One of the survivors recalled the boat being pelted by marble-sized hail while waves increased to 8 to 10 feet, breaking over the bow of the boat, according to the report. Winds were gusting up to 34 knots, blowing snow and sleet at the vessel. A hiker called 911 around 3 p.m. after witnessing the boat capsize by the shores of D.L. Bliss State Park, in southwest Lake Tahoe. Another another hiker and a California State Parks lifeguard helped pull the survivors from the water and they were transported to a hospital and treated for hypothermia. In California, all children younger than 13 are legally required to wear a life jacket while on a boat. Life jackets are optional for adults, but every boat must carry enough personal flotation devices for every passenger. By 5:30 that evening, skies were once again blue and the waters were calm, but it was too late to save the remaining eight passengers.
