NTSB Confirms Charter Plane Crashed During Second Landing Attempt, Killing All Eight Onboard A charter plane operated by Security Aviation crashed during its second attempt to land at a military radar site in Southwest Alaska on Thursday, August 20, killing all eight people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Alaska Region Chief Clint Johnson confirmed the incident, stating the Cessna 441 Conquest was en route from Anchorage to the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site when it crashed. The aircraft, owned and operated by Anchorage-based Security Aviation, was carrying two pilots and six passengers. Johnson noted the plane was navigating solely by instruments due to poor weather conditions, which prevented visual contact with the ground. The crash occurred approximately 11:45 a.m., roughly a quarter-mile west of the runway, following a second missed approach. Johnson explained that Anchorage Center, the air traffic control facility, lost contact with the aircraft after the second attempt. A post-crash fire consumed the wreckage, which was found in an area of rising terrain. The NTSB will review radar data from the Cape Newenham site, which is part of a network of remote radar stations tracking aircraft in Alaska’s airspace and along its borders. The flight, chartered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was intended to transport two Corps employees and four contractors. The military stated that the names of the victims will be released 24 hours after notifying next of kin. Weather conditions on the day of the crash included dense fog in the early morning and late evening, with clear skies and winds up to 15 mph around noon, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Christian Landry. Security Aviation, an approved carrier for the Army Corps and certified by the U.S.#ntsb #security_aviation #clint_johnson #cape_newenham #us_army_corps_of_engineers
NTSB Considers Investigation into Frontier Airlines' Emergency Evacuation After Pedestrian Fatality Federal investigators were gathering information on Sunday regarding the emergency evacuation of a Frontier Airlines flight that collided with a pedestrian on a runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night. The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:19 p.m., involved a Frontier flight 4345 bound for Los Angeles. According to airport officials, the pedestrian, who has not yet been publicly identified, had jumped the airport’s perimeter fence and entered the runway before the plane took off. The collision resulted in the pedestrian’s death and prompted an evacuation of 224 passengers and seven crew members. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not yet launched an investigation into the evacuation, according to spokesperson Sarah Taylor Sulick. She stated that the agency is awaiting details about the injuries sustained by some passengers to determine if the event meets the criteria for an investigation. NTSB teams typically investigate civil aviation accidents involving “substantial damage to an aircraft” or “serious injuries.” A “serious injury” is defined by the Code of Federal Regulations as requiring hospitalization for more than 48 hours within seven days of the incident or involving conditions such as bone fractures, internal organ damage, second- or third-degree burns, severe hemorrhages, or nerve, muscle, and tissue damage. Airport officials confirmed that paramedics transported five individuals to the hospital with unspecified injuries, while 12 others reported minor injuries.#denver_international_airport #ntsb #frontier_airlines #phil_washington #sarah_taylor_sulick
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Estate of NASCAR’s Greg Biffle Months After Plane Crash A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the estate of NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, months after a plane crash claimed his life and that of six others. The lawsuit, initiated by the estate of Dennis Dutton, alleges that Biffle owned the Cessna 550 involved in the crash and was responsible for its maintenance, operation, and safety. The case seeks $15 million in damages. Additionally, the estate of Emma Biffle, Biffle’s wife, filed a separate wrongful death lawsuit against the Dutton estate, requesting $10 million. The crash occurred on December 18, 2025, when Biffle, his wife, their two children, and three other passengers—Dennis Dutton, Jack Dutton, and Craig Wadsworth—were killed in a fiery incident at the Statesville Regional Airport. The Cessna 550 was attempting to return to the runway when it crashed. Court documents reveal that the lawsuit against Biffle’s estate centers on his alleged responsibility for the aircraft’s condition and safety protocols. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on January 30, detailing potential factors contributing to the crash. The report highlighted a combination of faulty flight instruments and pilot behavior. While the crash involved seven passengers, the report only noted the experiences of three. It did not specify who was piloting the plane, though the Associated Press confirmed that Biffle was not the pilot. The NTSB report outlined several malfunctions on the day of the crash, including a faulty altitude indicator, malfunctioning flight instruments, and issues with the engine power and temperature gauges. The plane first struck an object at approximately 1,400 feet above the runway before catching fire.#nascar #greg_biffle #dennis_dutton #ntsb #statesville_regional_airport
