FAIRBANKS, AK – Tragedy struck in Fairbanks, Alaska, as an airplane carrying fuel crashed and burned, claiming the lives of both pilots on board. The National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska regional office revealed that one of the pilots had reported a fire on the aircraft shortly before the crash occurred. The pilot had made contact about the emergency after departing Fairbanks International Airport but tragically lost contact while attempting to return.
The crash, which occurred approximately 11 kilometers outside Fairbanks, resulted in a devastating outcome as the plane hit a steep hill before sliding down an embankment to the bank of the Tanana River, where it burst into flames.
Efforts to recover the bodies and investigate the crash were met with challenges due to thin ice and open water on the river, complicating the search and recovery process. The identities of the pilots have not yet been disclosed, pending positive identification from the State Medical Examiner’s Office. The plane had been on a mission to transport 12,100 liters of heating oil to the village of Kobuk, located about 480 kilometers northwest of Fairbanks. Additionally, the aircraft carried approximately 4,500 liters of aviation fuel aboard the C54D-DC Skymaster, a World War II-era plane converted into a freighter.
Transporting fuel to remote Alaskan villages presents logistical challenges, with limited road infrastructure hindering access to these isolated communities. The Alaska Energy Authority typically relies on barges to deliver fuel to coastal areas, but for villages inaccessible by water, air tankers become essential for fuel deliveries. The C54D-DC aircraft involved in the crash is a military variant of the Douglas DC-4, originally designed as a passenger aircraft during World War II. Despite its passenger capacity of 44, most DC-4s have since been repurposed for cargo transport.
In response to the tragic incident, the NTSB deployed a team of investigators to the crash site to gather evidence and determine the cause of the crash. The aircraft was registered to Alaska Air Fuel of Wasilla, though attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful. As the investigation unfolds, authorities work tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to the fatal crash, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy that befell the two pilots on board.
