No accredited pilot was aboard plane in deadly Nondalton crash, NTSB says

The wreckage of a Taylorcraft BC-12D mini level successful nan waters of Six Mile Lake adjacent Nondalton earlier its May 22, 2024 recovery. Both occupants were killed erstwhile it collapsed May 17, pinch their bodies removed by divers that evening. (From NTSB)

Neither of nan men killed past month successful a Southwest Alaska level clang had a pilot’s certification, according to a preliminary study from national investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s report, issued past week, takes a person look astatine nan May 17 clang connected a reservoir adjacent Nondalton that killed aviator Dave Hedgers, 58, and his sole rider Aaron Fryar, 45. Investigators said they said pinch acquaintances of nan men, who told them Hedgers had precocious purchased nan wheel-equipped Taylorcraft BC-12D.

“According to nan Federal Aviation Administration, neither nan pilot/airplane owner, nor his passenger, possessed a aviator certificate, and neither had an FAA aesculapian certificate (student aviator certificate),” investigators said successful nan report.

Clint Johnson, nan NTSB’s Alaska chief, said Monday day that investigators and nan FAA haven’t been capable to find immoderate signs that Hedgers aliases Fryar had ever antecedently held aviator certificates aliases student-pilot certificates.

“At this constituent correct now, each indications are that neither 1 of these occupants were certified pilots,” Johnson said.

Uncertified pilots are seldom seen successful Alaska incidents investigated by nan NTSB, Johnson said, occurring astir erstwhile a year.

He said investigators are still determining really overmuch of a facet nan deficiency of certification was successful nan crash.

“We don’t cognize what nan training was, what nan decision-making was,” Johnson said. “The basal reply to that mobility is, we don’t cognize what benignant of training nan aviator had because he ne'er received nan pilot’s certificate.”

According to nan NTSB report, nan level near Port Alsworth headed for Nondalton, astir 24 miles southeast, astatine astir 11:30 a.m. connected nan greeting of nan crash.

Search efforts for nan level began astatine astir 8 p.m. that evening, and it was recovered astir 90 minutes later 2 to 3 miles southeast of nan Nondalton airport. Alaska State Troopers said nan level was recovered flipped successful nan water. Divers retrieved Hedgers’ and Fryar’s bodies from nan aircraft.

“The partially submerged wreckage was situated successful a shallow information of Six Mile Lake, and astir 200 yards from nan shore,” investigators said.

Five days aft nan crash, nan wreckage was removed from nan reservoir and taken to Port Alsworth for an examination. The level had sustained extended lower-fuselage harm accordant pinch crashing connected water, but investigators didn’t spot immoderate “preaccident mechanical anomalies,” according to nan report.

“To date, nan mishap airplane’s attraction logbooks could not beryllium located,” nan study said.

According to witnesses, upwind on nan way from Port Alsworth to Nondalton connected May 17 included debased clouds, fog and reduced visibility. The NTSB is still gathering upwind information connected conditions astatine nan clip of nan crash.

Troopers said some men’s bodies had been sent to nan authorities aesculapian examiner’s agency for an autopsy.

Read nan NTSB study below: