2 Critically Hurt When Plane Overshoots Runway in Alaska: Reports

A twin-engine Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Unalaska Island overshot the runway and stopped just short of plunging into the waters of the bay Thursday evening. Google Maps

A twin-engine Alaska Airlines-operated plane from Anchorage to Unalaska Island, Alaska, crashed after overshooting the runway. Several injuries were reported.

PenAir Flight 3296 from Anchorage to the city of Dutch Harbor flew off the runway as it attempted to land, said Alaska Airlines to news outlets.

Images of the incident showed the aircraft on an embankment with structural damage, CNN reported.

“PenAir operates the Anchorage-Dutch Harbor service for Alaska Airlines with a Saab 2000 aircraft,” the airline stated.

Weather conditions at the time included light rain and winds of 24 mph, the report said.

A commuter airplane has crashed near the airport in a small Alaska community on the Bering Sea in Unalaska, Alaska on Oct. 17, 2019. Jim Paulin via AP

In all, two people were critically injured and 10 others were hurt, KUCB reported.

A propeller blade of one of the engines broke off, puncturing the fuselage, the report also noted.

Unalaska is home to Dutch Harbor, which is one of the busiest fishing ports along the West Coast. It’s located some 825 miles west of Anchorage.

Among the 39 passengers on board the plane were a high school swim team in Cordova. None of the swim team members were injured, reports said.

A commuter airplane has crashed near the airport in a small Alaska community on the Bering Sea in Unalaska, Alaska on Oct. 17, 2019. Jim Paulin via AP

“At present, all students and chaperones are accounted for and are OK, albeit a bit shaken up,” the school said in a statement, reported the New York Post.

“Moments ago, I spoke again with Superintendent Conwell who stated that the team was together, seemed fine, and were eating pizza. Mr. Conwell assured me repeatedly that the students would be well looked after and taken care of,” Cordova Superintendent Alex Russin said to CNN.

PenAir stated that it’s cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The agency said that it is sending a team of people to investigate the matter. “NTSB sending team of 9 to Unalaska, AK to investigate Oct. 17, 2019, accident involving Peninsula Air #3296, Saab SB20, that overran runway on landing,” it wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Chris Johnson, the head of the NTSB’s Alaska division, said he couldn’t verify whether someone died.

“We’ve got a major investigation going here, and there’s all sorts of rumors going around,” he told KTUU. “We’re trying to get an investigator down, and the rest of the team will be coming from Washington, D.C.”

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of our passengers and crew, and the family members of everyone with loved ones on this flight,” PenAir CEO Dave Pflieger said.