Updated 8:30 a.m. Thursday
Alaska State Troopers have released the names of the five people killed Wednesday in what the National Guard is calling a mid-air plane collision.
The Renfro's Alaska Adventure Super Cub flying from Bethel to a hunting camp had two passengers: Pilot Zach Justin Babat, 44 of Montana, and passenger Jeff Thomas Burruss, 40 of Haines.
The RAVN C208 Caravan flying from Russian Mission to Marshall carried three people: Pilot Harry Wrase, 48 of Wasilla, and passengers Steven Paul Andrew, 32 of Kenai, and Aaron Jay Minock, 21 of Russian Mission.
Next of kin have been notified, and investigators from the Alaska State Troopers and the National Transportation Safety Board are on scene examining the crash sites.
Updated 4:45 p.m. Wednesday
Alaska State Troopers report there are no survivors from what the National Guard are calling a mid-air plane collision that occurred around 11 a.m. today, six miles northwest of Russian Mission. There were five people on board the two planes.
Clint Johnson, Chief of the National Transportation Safety Board Alaska Regional Office, says that State Troopers are on the scene with a Black Hawk helicopter, and that three NTSB investigators are en route to the crash site.
“Hopefully the team of three NTSB investigators will be able to reach the site tomorrow, and hopefully be able to document both these accident sites,” Johnson said.
Johnson says he’s receiving conflicting information at this point about the crash, and investigators are reviewing the limited radar data available from the area. Where the planes were flying to, and how they collided, is unknown.
“Basically what it comes down to is see and avoid," Johnson said. "However, in this case we don’t know what circumstances led up to this mid-air collision.”
Johnson says wreckage from both planes landed a considerable distance from each other.
In an email, the National Guard says that the airplanes were a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan carrying three people, and a Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures Piper PA-10 Super Cub carrying two people.
The email says that at 11 a.m., an aviation company contacted the Alaska Rescue Coordination saying they had lost radio contact with an aircraft, and it was overdue. Fifteen minutes later, State Troopers reported another aircraft overdue.
A third aircraft flying overheard spotted the wreckage.
Around noon, the National Guard dispatched a Black Hawk helicopter carrying two flight medics from Bethel to the crash site. The Alaska State Troopers also responded.
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation Vice President of Communications, Tiffany Zullkosky, says YKHC set up an Emergency Operations Center for the following two and a half hours, remaining in close communication with Alaska State Troopers to supply medical personnel, supplies, and emergency transportation. They closed the center when Troopers reported no survivors.
Behavioral Health Aides are standing by across the region at YKHC clinics to speak with family and loved ones about the crash. Emergency clinicians have been made available in Bethel at YKHC’s Family Center. Anyone who would like to call and speak with an emergency clinician can call 907-543-6499.
KYUK reached out to Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures and Hageland Aviation but could not get a statement.
Updated 3:00 p.m. Wednesday
There are no survivors from a mid-air plane collision that occurred around 11 a.m. today, six miles north of Russian Mission. There were five people on board.
In an email, the National Guard said the airplanes were a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan carrying three people and a Super Cub from Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures carrying two people.
Around noon, the National Guard dispatched a Black Hawk helicopter and two flight medics from Bethel to the crash site. The Alaska State Troopers also responded.
In a press release, Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation Vice President of Communications, Tiffany Zulkosky, said that YKHC set up an Emergency Operations Center for the following two and a half hours, remaining in close communication with Alaska State Troopers to supply medical personnel, supplies, and emergency transportation.
Behavioral Health Aides are standing by across the region at YKHC clinics to speak with family and loved ones about the crash. Emergency clinicians have been made available in Bethel at YKHC’s Family Center. Anyone who would like to call and speak with an emergency clinician can call 907-543-6499.
KYUK reached out to Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures and Hageland Aviation but could not get a statement.
Charles Enoch contributed reporting to this story.
