Preliminary Report Released on Nanwalek Plane Crash
A plane crash in Nanwalek on April 28 killed the pilot and one passenger, leaving a third passenger seriously injured.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the crash occurred around 2 p.m. during a commuter flight from Homer to Nanwalek. Smokey Bay Air pilot Daniel Bunker and Indigenous artist Jenny Irene Miller both sustained fatal injuries, while the unnamed surviving passenger was flown to an Anchorage hospital.
The Cessna T207, registration N91025, reportedly lost control while approaching Nanwalek Airport Runway 19. Witnesses observed the aircraft increase throttle and enter a steep left bank before spiraling down.
Witnesses also stated a dog was on the runway during the plane's final approach. A second pilot from Smokey Bay Air, about a mile behind, reported hearing Bunker state over the radio, “I'm going around, there's something on the runway,” prior to the crash.
The surviving passenger recounted that the plane was off-center during its approach and entered a sharp left banking turn before losing control. The wreckage ultimately came to rest on the beach, approximately 350 feet northwest of the runway.
Local first responders extricated the occupants and administered CPR until emergency medical services arrived more than an hour later. As the tide rose, residents assisted in moving the wreckage to higher ground.
Rasmussen's preliminary report confirms no visible pre-impact anomalies with the flight control system. The wreckage has been secured for further analysis; a final report detailing the probable cause and contributing factors is expected within 12–24 months.