5 Killed As 2 Planes Collide in Alaska
By MARK THIESSEN, Associated Press Writer
Mon Apr 24, 2:33 AM
WASILLA, Alaska - Two small planes collided midair and crashed about 20 miles north of Anchorage on Sunday, killing five people, officials said.
The four people aboard a Cessna 170B and the pilot of a Cessna 172 who was the only aboard, were killed in the wreck just after noon, according to National Transportation Safety Board investigator Clint Johnson. Both were single-engine high wing aircraft.
Both planes were at an altitude between 500 and 800 feet when they collided above the Palmer Hay Flats in a remote area about 10 miles south of Wasilla.
"It appears that the westbound aircraft apparently saw the other aircraft at the last moment, tried to avoid the collision, but unfortunately that didn't work," said Johnson, though he did not identify which plane that was.
Don Grant, who lives near the crash site, said he looked up to see the planes hit each other, then plummet.
"I only recall hearing one sound when they hit the ground, so I'm pretty sure they hit at the same time," he said.
Rescuers found the planes about 500 feet from each other. Getting to the crash required using all-terrain vehicles, said fire chief Jack Krill.
Names of the victims were being withheld until authorities could notify families.
Johnson said arrangements were being made to retrieve the wreckage and continue an investigation into what caused the crash.
Curly, to narrow that down just a bit more...the collision was a result of two airplanes being in the same place at the same time. Just a guess though. We'll have to wait for the official investigation to be completed before we'll know for sure what really happened.
Nope, they weren't hunters. In one plane were the pilot & his 3 young children. Sad.
Monday, April 24, 2006 · Last updated 6:56 p.m. PT
Pilots in midair collision were veteran fliers
By DAN JOLING
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The pilots of two light planes that collided in mid-air, killing five people, were experienced fliers with commercial certification.
Single-engine planes piloted by David Beauregard, 45, of Wasilla, and William Smoke, 55, of Chugiak, collided Sunday about 20 miles north-northeast of here.
Beauregard was a pilot for Alaska Airlines. Smoke was regional aviation manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska.
Smoke, flying a Cessna 172, was flying alone. Beauregard, flying a Cessna 170B, was accompanied by his three children: Ryan, 16; Conner, 13; and Remi, 9. Everyone aboard the planes died.
Beauregard and his children were flying from Birchwood landing strip in north Anchorage to Talkeetna. Smoke also had taken off from Birchwood and apparently was on his way back, said National Transportation Safety Board investigator Clint Johnson.
The accident occurred on a clear day. Witnesses indicated Smoke's airplane collided with the left side of Beauregard's and may have tried to pull up at the last minute.
Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Amanda Tobin said airline staffers were shocked and saddened by the crash. Beauregard would have celebrated his 10th year with the company in June.
"He was well-respected and well-liked not only by fellow pilots but also by colleagues throughout the entire family here at Alaska Airlines," she said.
Alaska Airlines hired Beauregard in June 1996 as a first officer, or co-pilot. He was promoted to captain in 2003.
Based in Anchorage, he flew passenger routes in the Boeing 737-400, an aircraft that flies from Anchorage to Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver and Portland, Ore., Tobin said.
Fish and Wildlife staffers were "numb" after hearing of the death of one of their colleagues. Besides being a veteran pilot, Smoke was "a hell of a nice guy," spokesman Bruce Woods said.
Smoke had more than 12,000 hours as a pilot and was a certified flight instructor.
"He had also worked as an air traffic controller in both the military and civilian sector," Woods said.
Smoke worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service for 13 years in Alaska and had more than 20 years flight experience in Alaska, Woods said. He had been a pilot for the agency out of Tetlin in the interior and on the Alaska Peninsula.
Four years ago, he moved to the regional office in Anchorage to become regional aviation manager, Woods said.
"In that capacity he was in charge of all 36 pilots and all 36 or so aircraft in Alaska," Woods said.
That meant overseeing training and refresher courses, complying with Federal Aviation Administration regulations and training new pilots.
Pilots who go to work for the service undergo two years of on-the-job training, Woods said, to deal with flying in low weather, conducting bird counts and other special conditions.
The accident occurred in an area of "uncontrolled air space" not monitored by radar, said the NTSB's Johnson. The rules for flying are "see and avoid."
Johnson said he learned Monday from Smoke's family that his Cessna had just undergone its annual inspection and the veteran pilot had taken it out for a short flight.
No recorded radio transmissions indicated either pilot was in trouble but the investigation will be aided by witnesses on the ground.
"We were blessed with a couple of very good witnesses who saw it from start to finish," Johnson said.
The NTSB hopes to have a preliminary report completed within five days and the final report done in six months, Johnson said.
This happened about five air miles from my Uncles home. It was a very sad deal. Eveidently both very accomplished and well respected pilots. I guess when it's your time, it's your time.
