Bizarre reason for Alaska plane crash that killed congresswoman's moose hunter husband revealed

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

A plane crash that killed a congresswoman's hunter husband was caused by the aircraft being overloaded with moose meat and the unapproved installation of antlers on the right wing, a report has found.
Eugene 'Buzzy' Peltola Jr., 57, was killed nearly two years ago when his plane crashed about 65 miles northeast of the small western Alaska community of St Mary's.
The small Piper PA-18 Super Cub had taken off from a remote hunting camp but went down shortly after takeoff on September 12, 2023.
Peltola, whose wife Mary Peltola was a congresswoman at the time, was found conscious but died at the scene. He was the only person on board the aircraft.
Federal investigators have now revealed the plane was overweight for takeoff and encountered drag from a set of antlers mounted outside, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a report released Tuesday.
The avid moose hunter was a former Alaska regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and worked for decades for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
He received his commercial pilot's license in 2004, requiring him to use corrective lenses at all distances, according to an FAA database.
His death came almost exactly a year after his wife was sworn in as Alaska's lone US House member, following a special election for the seat.
A small plane crash that killed Eugene 'Buzzy' Peltola Jr. was overweight for takeoff and encountered drag from a set of antlers mounted outside, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined
Peltola was killed when his small Piper PA-18 Super Cub crashed shortly after takeoff on September 12, 2023, about 65 miles northeast of St Mary's, Alaska
Peltola flew the plane above its maximum takeoff weight and affixed a set of moose antlers on the right wing strut that caused a drag, along with turbulent flight conditions in the area, the NTSB report states.
Downdrafts, 'along with the overweight airplane and the added drag and lateral weight imbalance caused by the antlers on the right wing, would likely have resulted in the airplane having insufficient power and/or control authority to maneuver above terrain,' the report states.
The Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub crashed Sept. 12, 2023, northeast of the small western Alaska community of St Mary's.
Peltola had days earlier taken five hunters, a guide and equipment from the community of Holy Cross to an airstrip at St Mary's.
The group set up camp next to the runway, which was near hilly terrain and about 70 miles northwest of Holy Cross, the agency said.
The day before the crash, the group got a moose and made plans with Peltola, via satellite messaging devices, for him to transport the meat, the NTSB said.
On the day of the crash, Peltola had already picked up a load of meat and had returned for another. He did not use scales to weigh the cargo, the agency said.
Mary Peltola and her husband Eugene Peltola celebrate after results showed her to be the apparent winner in Alaska's special US House election on August 31, 2022
The Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub crashed Sept. 12, 2023, northeast of the small western Alaska community of St Mary's
Two hunters were at the site when the crash occurred and provided aid to Peltola, but he died of his injuries within about two hours.
'Given the remote location of the accident site, which was about 400 miles from a hospital, and accessible only by air, providing the pilot with prompt medical treatment following the accident was not possible,' Tuesday's report states.
The agency said carrying antlers on the outside of a plane is a common practice in Alaska but requires formal approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, with a notation in the plane's logbooks.
'There was no evidence that such approval had been granted for the accident airplane,' the report states.
Eugene was laid to rest at Bethel Memorial Cemetery in September 2023, where several Alaska bush planes conducted a flyover in a missing man formation.
Mary stood nearby stoic and clutching an American flag as loved ones delivered their tributes to her late husband.
After the service concluded, the casket was opened for a community viewing and one by one, everyone in attendance waited to say their final goodbyes.
Mary Peltola, (pictured with Eugene) was the first Alaska Native in Congress. She won a full, two-year term in November 2022 but lost her reelection bid last November. She has kept a relatively low public profile since then
The congresswoman personally thanked everyone as they filed by.
Mary Peltola, who is Yup'ik, was the first Alaska Native in Congress. She won a full, two-year term in November 2022 but lost her reelection bid last November.
She has kept a relatively low public profile since then.