Alaska officials identify 4 men killed in a small plane crash near coastal town

The pilot and three passengers killed in a small plane crash near Seldovia, a coastal town in Alaska, have been identified by the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The pilot, Eric Middlebrook, 68, is from Anchorage. The passengers, Ronald Schmidt, 65, Lance Schmidt, 20, and Daniel Simons, 82, were all from California. The Piper PA-24 aircraft crashed into shallow waters near the shore, coming to rest in about 15 feet of water in the Seldovia Slough.

The plane had taken off from Anchorage earlier that day before the crash. Once the tide went out, Alaska state troopers were able to reach the crash site and extract the bodies of the four men. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident.

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, representing Alaska, expressed his condolences, stating that tragedies like these are unacceptable and that aviation safety and infrastructure in Alaska remain a top priority for him. Just a week prior, another plane crash occurred at a remote military site in western Alaska, claiming the lives of all eight individuals aboard. That aircraft was making its second approach to the runway in heavy fog, and its pilots were unable to see the gravel airstrip due to the poor visibility.