Alaska Air National Guard aircrews rescued a pilot and a passenger after their plane crashed on Montague Island in Prince William Sound Tuesday.
According to a National Guard press release, the Cessna 172 aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff and subsequently caught fire.
National Transportation Safety Board Alaska Chief Clint Johnson said the pilot reported a loss of engine power around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon and crashed into some trees. Johnson says the fire after the crash “incinerated” the aircraft.
The fire destroyed an emergency beacon that initially alerted the National Guard. However, the pilot used a satellite phone to call his family, which relayed the location of the crash to the Coast Guard and then to the responding aircrews.
The pilot and passenger, whose identities have not been released, were transported to Anchorage for medical treatment. Johnson says both sustained only minor injuries. He adds that the NTSB will investigate the crash.