A week after a Ward Air plane crashed and sank into Favorite Channel near Juneau, officials are still piecing together what happened.
Last Thursday morning, a pilot reported a loss of engine power while flying from Haines to Juneau and then crashed into Favorite Channel near Boy Scout Beach. The U.S. Coast Guard issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a boat and helicopter response.
The crash involved a Cessna single-engine propeller plane. At the time of the incident, the pilot was the only passenger and there was no cargo on board. The pilot was rescued from the downed aircraft in the water by another company plane. According to Alaska State Troopers, the pilot suffered minor injuries and hypothermia and was transported to a hospital.
Clint Johnson with the National Transportation Safety Board said an investigation into the incident is still ongoing. He said it will be hard to pinpoint the exact cause without investigating the wreckage itself. The plane is still at the bottom of the channel and it’s unclear if it can be recovered.
“Without being able to lay hands on the airplane and be able to prove exactly what caused the engine failure, we’re at a bit of a loss at this point,” he said. “But again, keep in mind, there’s always a chance that we might be able to recover it, but I think it’s highly unlikely at this point right now.”
The pilot and the plane were from Ward Air, a private charter service in Juneau. Ward Air did not identify the pilot or provide a comment immediately following the incident and again this week.
