Alaska charter flight crash kills 8

A Cessna 441 operated by Anchorage-based charter company Security Aviation crashed near a U.S. military-managed radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, killing all eight people aboard, according to the U.S. military. The crash occurred around 12:15 p.m. (2015 UTC) on approach to Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 725 kilometers (450 miles) west of Anchorage. NTSB Alaska region chief Clint Johnson said there were six passengers and two pilots. The Associated Press quoted U.S. Alaskan Command as describing the aircraft as a “civilian-contracted aircraft,” noting the victims were professionals carrying out a “vital mission” in a demanding environment, though the exact work at the radar site was not immediately clear. Multiple agencies responded, including the Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers and the Rescue Coordination Center.