Plane in deadly lake crash near Nondalton was making brief flight, troopers say

An aerial position of Nondalton connected April 8, 2019. (Isabelle Ross/KDLG)

Two men from Port Alsworth died Friday erstwhile a mini level collapsed into a reservoir adjacent Nondalton, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel said Monday that aviator Dave Hedgers, 58, and rider Aaron Fryar, 45, died erstwhile nan Taylorcraft BC-12D collapsed into Six Mile Lake adjacent Nondalton, astir 200 miles southwest of Anchorage.

According to McDaniel, nan level near Port Alsworth astatine 11:30 a.m. Friday, connected a backstage flight. Hedgers and Fryar planned to recreation astir 30 miles southbound and onshore successful Pedro Bay astir an hr later. But they ne'er arrived. Troopers first learned of nan clang astatine astir 9:30 p.m. that evening.

“The troopers received a thirdhand study via 911 from personification whose family personnel was flying successful nan area that saw nan wreckage,” McDaniel said.

The aviator of nan floatplane that spotted nan clang was capable to onshore connected nan lake, McDaniel said, pinch members of Port Alsworth Search and Rescue besides responding by boat. Divers recovered Hedgers’ and Fryar’s bodies successful nan plane, which was upside-down successful nan water.

According to an online trooper dispatch, Hedger’s and Fryar’s bodies were sent to nan authorities aesculapian examiner’s agency for an autopsy. Their families person been notified.

The origin of nan clang is nether investigation by nan National Transportation Safety Board.