Charter plane crash kills 8 at remote radar site in western Alaska, military says

Juneau, Alaska — A charter aircraft carrying eight people crashed at a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday, killing all on board, the U.S. military said.

The crash happened at Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, approximately 450 miles west of Anchorage.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement that two of its employees were among those killed, according to KTUU-TV, a sister station to CBS Anchorage affiliate KYES-TV.

"This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, said in a statement.

The radar site is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center. It's part of a network of remote radar sites that track aircraft operating in Alaska's airspace and along its borders, the statement from Alaskan Command said.

The statement didn't provide details on the specific work the individuals were doing.

It referred to the plane involved as a "civilian-contracted aircraft." The Army Corps said in its statement that it had chartered the plane, KTUU reported. CBS News has reached out to the corps about the discrepancy.

Davis described those on board as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment. Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time. We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals."

Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, said there were two pilots and six passengers on board.

The plane had taken off from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed on approach to Cape Newenham, Johnson said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the Cessna 441 crashed at 12:15 p.m. local time.

The twin-engine Cessna aircraft was operated by Anchorage-based air charter company Security Aviation, Johnson said, according to KTUU.

The FAA said the NTSB would lead the investigation into the crash, with the FAA assisting.