Latest news with #DanielBunker
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'There's something on the runway': New report includes firsthand accounts of plane crash that killed 2 in Nanwalek
May 14—A new federal report provides firsthand accounts of the moments before a fatal plane crash in Nanwalek last month that killed the pilot and a passenger. The crash of the Smokey Bay Air Cessna T207 on April 28 killed 48-year-old Homer resident Daniel Bunker, the pilot, and 37-year-old Anchorage resident Jenny Irene Miller, a well-known artist and photographer originally from Nome. A male passenger was seriously injured. The afternoon flight was a regularly scheduled trip from Homer to Nanwalek, a village on Kachemak Bay just under 30 miles southwest of Homer. Investigators have said it appeared Bunker was coming in for a landing when he decided to go around and try again after spotting something, most likely a dog, on the village's short runway. The plane could be seen banking sharply left before going out of control and spiraling to the ground. Some witnesses on the ground said they saw a dog on the runway when the plane was on final approach, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released Wednesday. A pilot in a second Smokey Bay Airplane a few miles behind Bunker recalled hearing him say over the radio, "'I'm going around, there's something on the runway,' just before the accident," lead investigator Mitchell Rasmussen wrote in the report. The report marks the agency's first official description of the incident. Any probable cause finding isn't expected to be released until next year. The plane departed Homer with three occupants as well as passenger baggage and mail on board, according to the report. The surviving passenger, interviewed at an Anchorage hospital, described approaching Nanwalek Airport from the north and over the village, the report said. The passenger recalled the plane was "offset to the right of the runway centerline on final approach" before it entered a sharp, steeper than normal left banking turn and then went out of control, Rasmussen wrote. The plane came to rest on the beach about 350 feet northwest of the approach end of the airport runway, according to the report. Local residents and first responders pulled the wreckage to higher ground as the tide rose. They called 911 to report the crash just before 2 p.m., then provided help. Some administered CPR while others removed mail and cargo. Authorities and medical evacuation helicopters arrived more than an hour later. The Nanwalek airport has only 850 feet of usable runway, state transportation officials say. The most recent aviation incident at the airport, in 2016, involved the same Smokey Bay Air plane destroyed in the April crash. Three passengers and the pilot swam to safety after the plane went down offshore. The pilot later described a wind shift that caused him to run out of runway.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Loose dog may have been factor in fatal plane crash in rural Alaska, reports say
A dog on the loose may have contributed to a deadly plane crash in Alaska, reports say. A pup was seen on a runway at an airstrip in Nanwalek as a Cessna headed in on April 28, KTUU reported, citing Clint Johnson of the National Transportation Safety Board. 'The pilot initiated a go-around,' Johnson told the outlet. 'There was also another company airplane behind — he was talking to that airplane at the same time — said he was initiating the go-around, made a right turn away from the runway, pretty steep climb, and unfortunately, there was a loss of control.' Johnson described it to the Anchorage Daily News 'as a 'loss of control consistent with a stall.'' The Cessna T207 went into water at the runway's end, the Federal Aviation Administration reported. Good Samaritans and first responders rushed to help, according to Alaska State Troopers, who said pilot Daniel Bunker, 48, from Homer, and passenger Jenny Miller, 37, from Anchorage, were killed. A second passenger – an adult man – was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, according to troopers. Johnson told Alaska Public Media that animals are 'a peril that you have to contend with' in rural areas, but he said he couldn't think of another crash where an animal may have similarly contributed, the outlet reported. Bunker was flying the plane for Smokey Bay Air, according to the FAA. McClatchy News reached out to the company April 30 and was awaiting a response. In a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said 'the First Lady and I are heartbroken by the tragic plane crash near Nanwalek. We send our deepest condolences to the families of Daniel Bunker and Jenny Miller, and we're praying for the recovery of the injured passenger.' Nanwalek is southwest of Homer.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pilot Likely Tried to Avoid Loose Dog on Runway Before Crash That Killed Him and Passenger: NTSB
An aircraft crashed in Nanwalek, Alaska, on April 28, killing pilot Daniel Bunker and passenger Jenny Miller An NTSB official said a loose dog was on the runway at the time the Cessna was making its approach The cause of the crash is under investigation A Cessna 207 airplane crashed in Alaska earlier this week, killing two people inside, and authorities are now saying that the pilot may have been trying to avoid a loose dog on the runway as the aircraft was making its approach. According to Alaska State Troopers, authorities were notified on Monday, April 28, at 1:57 p.m., local time, of a plane crash in Nanwalek near an airport. They arrived at the scene where first responders and good Samaritans were helping the three people from the aircraft. 'One adult male passenger was medevaced to an Anchorage area hospital with serious injuries, and the two other occupants were killed in the crash,' authorities said. Related: 3 People Dead After Small Plane Crashes Near Rural Tennessee Airport In a preliminary report, the FAA said the aircraft 'crashed for unknown reasons on the runway and went into the water at the end of the runway.' It also listed Smokey Bay Air as the aircraft's operator. Authorities identified the two deceased victims as pilot Daniel Bunker, 48, of Homer, and passenger Jenny Miller, 37, of Anchorage. The identity of the injured passenger has not been released. 'The NTSB has begun an investigation into the cause of the crash. Miller and Bunker's next of kin have been notified and their bodies have been sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy,' Alaska State Troopers said. Related: Dad Found One Last Video of Wife and Daughter Taking Off Before D.C. Plane Crash: 'Always in Our Hearts' (Exclusive) According to CBS affiliate KTUU, witnesses observed a loose dog on the runway as the Cessna 207 traveling from Homer was about to land on the Nanwalek airstrip. 'What we understand now is that there may have been an animal, namely a dog, that was on the runway,' Clint Johnson, chief of the NTSB's Alaska regional office, told the outlet. 'The pilot initiated a go-around,' Johnson continued. 'There was also another company airplane behind — he was talking to that airplane at the same time — said he was initiating the go-around, made a right turn away from the runway, pretty steep climb, and unfortunately, there was a loss of control.' He also said the aircraft may have stalled, but he didn't want to draw any conclusions yet as the investigation into the crash is still in its early stages. Related: 5 Police Officers Killed After Plane Crashes into Ocean Near Popular Beach Town: Reports 'We are going to be looking very closely at that airplane,' Johnson said, per KTUU. 'We are in the recovery process right now to get that airplane back to Homer and probably eventually back to Anchorage here where we are going to lay it out and make sure there are no mechanical issues that led to this loss of control.' PEOPLE contacted the NTSB for additional information on Wednesday, April 30. The Seldovia Village Tribe, a tribal government representing the Southern Kenai Peninsula communities, acknowledged Bunker's passing in a Facebook post. 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash involving Smokey Bay Air, and we mourn the loss of Daniel Bunker—a skilled pilot and kind soul who served our communities with dedication,' the tribe said. Related: No Survivors Found After Plane Crashes into a Minnesota Home, Sparking Fiery Blaze According to the Anchorage Daily News, Miller was a photographer and artist whose works have been shown around the world. She was also a board member of the Alaska-based nonprofit group Native Movement, which paid tribute to her following her death. 'She broadened the expression of both Alaska Native and Queer identity, making it possible for more people to be our authentic selves,' their statement read. 'In her own words: 'Being grounded in my Iñupiaq culture has given me strength and propelled me into my work around decolonizing gender and sexuality.' ' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Jenny was a role-model and mentor for LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit youth,' the nonprofit added. 'She prioritized creating safe spaces for the community, and in particular for the Alaska Native trans and two-spirit community, spaces where people could feel safe and supported in being themselves. Jenny had a deep commitment to justice for people and Mother Earth.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Bizarre new theory about why Alaska tour plane crashed and killed two people
Officials have said a deadly plane crash at a beach in Alaska this week may have unfolded after the pilot swerved to avoid a loose dog on the runway. A Cessna 207 tour plane carrying three people went down just before 2pm on Monday, killing pilot Daniel Bunker, 48, and passenger Jenny Irene Miller, 37. An unidentified male passenger was also on board, and he was rushed to hospital in Anchorage with 'serious' injuries, officials added. Witnesses said the horror unfolded after a dog ran loose on the runway in Nanwalek, where the plane had been due to land. 'What we understand now is that there may have been an animal, namely a dog, that was on the runway,' Clint Johnson, Chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska regional office, told Alaska's News Source. 'The pilot initiated a go-around. There was also another company airplane behind - he was talking to that airplane at the same time - said he was initiating the go-around, made a right turn away from the runway, pretty steep climb, and unfortunately, there was a loss of control.' Johnson said investigators believe the plane may have been hit with an aerodynamic stall, though the investigation is still ongoing. 'We don't want to draw any conclusions at this point,' he said. 'We still are in the very formative stages. We are going to be looking very closely at that airplane. 'We are in the recovery process right now to get that airplane back to Homer and probably eventually back to Anchorage here where we are going to lay it out and make sure there are no mechanical issues that led to this loss of control.' Johnson said the plane crashed on the beach close to the water, and rescuers are working to extract it. 'Right after the accident ... rescuers were able to pull that wreckage up a little bit further away from the water, but nevertheless it is in the tide zone,' he said. The plane was operated by Smokey Bay Air, a tour operator which offers trips to Seldovia and bear-viewing expeditions from Homer Airport. The NTSB said investigators are working with the operator and its insurance company to coordinate the recovery of the wreckage. Pilot Daniel Bunker was from Homer, while Jenny Irene Miller was from Anchorage. It's not known where the third passenger was from. Bunker was a father-of-two with his partner Melissa. He frequently posted family photographs on his Instagram account. He was also a naturalist brown bear guide, amateur photographer and volunteer firefighter. Bunker was remembered by Seldovia Village Tribe as 'a skilled pilot and kind soul who served our communities with dedication'. Miller was an artist and freelance photographer who created portraits of Alaska Natives and their homelands. She leaves behind her partner Nora, according to a fundraising page for her family. Miller worked as a board member for Native Movement, who said her Iñupiaq name is Wiagañmiu. 'She broadened the expression of both Alaska Native and Queer identity, making it possible for more people to be our authentic selves,' the organization said. Friends remembered her as an 'amazing human being' who would be 'deeply missed by many'. Her friend Tikaan Galbreath paid tribute to her as a 'bright and kind human doing good work for the world'. 'She was a good friend who always reminded me to be thoughtful of others and caring even when it's hard to be,' Galbreath wrote on her fundraising page. 'Every time I had the chance to be with her, it felt like the simple joys were more clearly present and laughter was easy to find. I'll sorely miss her friendship.' Officials are continuing to interview witnesses, and anyone with information is encouraged to get in touch by email to witness@
