DENALI NATIONAL PARK – The multi-engine cargo plane involved in the Sunday, August 1 accident in Denali National Park was a Fairchild C-123 registered to All West Freight, Inc. of Delta Junction, Alaska. There were three people reported to be on board. It appears as if there were no survivors. The identities are not being released at this time, pending notification of next of kin.
The plane crashed into the south-facing slope of Mount Healy within a mile of the park headquarters and approximately 200 yards north of the Denali Park Road. The crash started a wildland fire, which has been contained at approximately one acre.
The first personnel arrived on scene within minutes, but the wreckage was already engulfed in flames. Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers and Denali wildland fire fighters are putting water on hot spots to extinguish the fire. They and NPS rangers will be on scene overnight. National Transportation Safety Board investigators will arrive on scene tomorrow morning.
The Denali Park Road is open to traffic, but the Rock Creek and Roadside Trails (which link park headquarters and the Denali Visitor Center) are temporarily closed. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction in effect over the crash site until further notice. Pilots using the park airstrip or transiting the Windy Pass area are cautioned to check NOTAMs and be alert for firefighting and official aircraft.
