Alaska News

2 seriously injured in plane crash near Willow

Two people were seriously injured when a plane crashed at a private airstrip near Willow on Saturday, Alaska State Troopers said.

First responders were called to the airstrip, near Mile 68 of the Parks Highway, just after 6 p.m. Saturday, troopers wrote in an online statement.

Several witnesses saw the plane crash and preliminary information indicates it may have been landing during that time, said Clint Johnson, chief of The National Transportation Safety Board Alaska office. The kit-built plane was designed to look like a Piper Super Cub PA-18 150, he said.

The plane was significantly damaged, troopers said. The pilot was medevaced to Anchorage and is in critical condition, Johnson said, and the passenger was brought to a hospital with serious injuries.

Investigators from the NTSB traveled to the scene Sunday and Johnson said the investigation is ongoing. It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, he said.

Tess Williams

Tess Williams is a reporter focusing on breaking news and public safety. Before joining the ADN in 2019, she was a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Contact her at twilliams@adn.com.

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