Eight Dead in Alaska Plane Crash Including US Army Corps Engineers and Air Force Officer

A chartered twin-engine Cessna Conquest aircraft crashed on August 20 near Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site in Western Alaska, resulting in the deaths of all eight people on board.

The flight, operated by Security Aviation and chartered by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), was carrying two pilots and six passengers. It was en route to perform maintenance on a fire suppression system at the remote radar installation.

Victims Identified

• Two US Army Corps of Engineers employees based in Anchorage: Sabrina Hansen, a fire protection engineer, and Hayden Scalis, a mechanical engineer.
• Second Lieutenant Leah R. Borsich, 23, a project programmer with the US Air Force's 611th Civil Engineer Squadron stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

The Alaska State Troopers have yet to release the names of the remaining passengers, who were not affiliated with the Department of Defense.

Crash Circumstances and Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the pilot aborted at least one landing attempt due to poor visibility. The crash occurred during a subsequent approach amid foggy conditions. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.

Official Reactions

Lt. Gen. William H. "Butch" Graham, USACE commanding general, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of dedicated public servants committed to national security. Col. Victor Trujillo II, commander of the Alaska District, conveyed the district's heavy grief and pledged support for the families affected.

Col. Timothy Meerstein, Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center commander, praised Lt. Borsich as a positive and professional leader who brought energy and compassion to her role.