17 Believed Killed as Commuter Plane Crashes in Alaska
A commuter aircraft crashed in a landing attempt Monday evening and authorities said at least 17 people were believed killed.
The Beechcraft 1900 went down at 6:28 p.m. AST about 200 yards short of the runway, said John Michelangelo, head of the Alaska office of the National Transportation Safety Board.
“There are survivors, but we’re just not sure how many at this point,” said Sgt. Jim Stogsdill of the Alaska State Troopers.
The total number of passengers aboard was not immediately known, Michelangelo said. The plane, operated by Ryan Air, had taken off in Kodiak for Homer, Kenai and Anchorage.
Ryan Air officials in Anchorage declined immediate comment.
The fuselage of the aircraft appeared to be intact, coming to rest in a snowy field after plowing through an airport fence, but the wings were sheared off, witnesses said.
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