Update | Friday 3:45 p.m.
Pilot recovered from wreckage of Regal Air Cessna 206 north of Lake Clark
The body of a pilot was recovered Thursday night after his plane crashed yesterday in Lake Clark National Park. Joel Black of Pemberville, OH was flying a Cessna 206 Thursday morning when the plane crashed.
Megan Richotte is a spokesperson for Lake Clark National Park. She explained the recovery.
“Last night the Alaska State Troopers and National Park Rangers were able to take a state trooper helicopter to the site of the crash and recover the pilot’s body,” Richotte said.
Black was the only occupant of the plane, according to Regal Aviation. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident to try and find the cause of the crash. The flight path has also not been determined.
— Allison Mollenkamp, KDLG-Dillingham
Original story | 5:28 p.m. Thursday
Recovery efforts are underway Thursday evening for what is believed to be a fatal aircraft accident in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
The preserve is about 88 miles west of Kenai, Alaska.
Spokesperson Megan Richotte said that an NPS aircraft with rangers was launched to search after an emergency locator beacon signal that was picked up about 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
“They did locate the ELT and found a downed and still burning aircraft in Miller Creek which is on the north side of Lake Clark itself,” she said.
According to Richotte, Regal Air out of Anchorage reported that the pilot, whose name has not been released, was the only occupant onboard the Cessna 206.
“Alaska State Troopers are enroute to Port Alsworth with a helicopter, and park rangers and state troopers will be going to the site of the crash for recovery operations this evening,” Richotte said.
She did not know Thursday what the Regal Cessna 206’s flight plan had been.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the accident.
— Dave Bendinger, KDLG-Dillingham
