Janice R. Andrews
Two people have died in a horrific plane disaster that happened in Alaska today. After taking off from Fairbanks International Airport, the aircraft—a Douglas DC-4—went into the Tanana River about seven miles to the south. When the plane struck the ground, Alaska State Troopers said it caught fire.
Authorities reacted immediately after receiving reports of the incident at 10:03 a.m. Unfortunately, no survivors have been located to date. To ascertain the incident’s cause, the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation.
Michaela Matherne was one of the eyewitnesses to the tragedy; she took a picture of the accident site while flying from Galena to Fairbanks. She claimed to have seen flames and smoke close to the river, suggesting that the disaster had happened just as her plane was flying by.
The aircraft in question was initially recognized as a military vehicle and was a Douglas C-54, usually referred to as a DC-4, which was widely utilized in World War II. With certain variants converted for freight transportation, these aircraft may carry up to 44 people in addition to a usual flying crew of three.
Our sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those impacted by this awful occurrence as the inquiry progresses.
