Alaska News

Pilot injured in small-plane crash at runway near Knik Glacier

An Anchorage man at the controls of a small plane carrying one other person was medevacked after it crashed near Knik Glacier on Sunday afternoon, Alaska State Troopers said.

Providence Alaska Medical Center staff said pilot Bruce Junes, 60, was in serious condition Monday morning after the crash of a Stinson 108-3. Troopers first received a report of the crash at 12:24 p.m. Sunday.

Junes crashed on landing at a runway near Knik Glacier, 19 miles east of Palmer, according to troopers and National Transportation Safety Board Alaska chief Clint Johnson.

A LifeMed air ambulance flew Junes to Anchorage with an injury troopers described as non-life-threatening. The sole passenger in the airplane was uninjured.

Johnson said the NTSB is waiting to speak with Junes but is working to confirm details given by a witness on the ground.

"Basically (the witness) said during approach to the strip, the airplane appeared to stall and started to spin and then struck the ground," Johnson said Monday.

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