Search expanded for floatplane missing since Saturday

The National Park Service said that searchers again were unable to locate the plane despite good weather with clear skies and excellent visibility.

There has been no sign of the plane since it was reported missing Saturday afternoon in the 4 million-acre park in Southwest Alaska. The weather at the time was poor, with strong winds and low clouds. There also has been no radio or emergency locator transmitter transmissions received from the plane.

The DeHavilland Beaver piloted by Marco Alletto, 47, of King Salmon, was carrying Mason McLeod, 26, from Jacksonville, Fla., and brothers Neal Spradlin, 28, and Seth Spradlin, 20, who grew up in Westfield, Ind., but now spend at least part of their time in Alaska.

The park employees were preparing Saturday to rebuild an old ranger patrol cabin.

The search comes at a time when aircraft crashes in Alaska have killed at least 17 people since June 1, including former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens this month.

On Tuesday, two helicopters and six fixed-wing aircraft conducted the Katmai-area search, which now has encompassed more than 3,600 square miles. Participating are the Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Alaska State Troopers, U.S. Coast Guard, Egli Air Haul and Branch River Air Service. Other air taxis flying in the area have informally searched, the Park Service said.

Branch River of King Salmon operated the missing plane.

The plane left Swikshak Lagoon on Saturday for a short trip to King Salmon. The passengers had been at Swikshak to work on the ranger cabin, and they were headed to King Salmon to regroup and resupply, the Park Service said.

Two Branch River Air planes flew to pick up the workers. The second plane left 15 minutes after the plane that’s missing and carried two other workers plus a pilot. That plane made it to King Salmon but flew much of the way 500 feet above ground level because the weather was getting worse, the Park Service said.

Neal and Seth Spradlin’s family released a statement Monday, saying in part:

“The family is strong in their faith in Jesus Christ and is believing for a miracle that their plane is holed up in a cove somewhere along the coast or river drainage which they were flying in. We know that Neal and Seth can handle the adversities of the wilderness ... we are awaiting the good report that they are safe and sound.”