Upon its departure from Fairbanks International Airport, the C-54 Skymaster encountered a tragic fate, crashing into the Tanana River and bursting into flames. The devastating impact extinguished the lives of the two individuals aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into the incident, aiming to unravel the sequence of events that led to the crash. The tower operator witnessed a significant plume of smoke emanating from the accident site.
Michaela Matherne, a pilot flying from Galena to Fairbanks, witnessed the aftermath of the crash while her aircraft was diverted to verify the coordinates. Initially, there was speculation that a cabin or fish camp had caught fire. However, the true nature of the incident became apparent after landing.
The Douglas C-54, a military variant of the DC-4, once accommodated up to 44 passengers during its peak. However, most have since been repurposed as cargo carriers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified the aircraft as a Douglas C-54, while the Alaska State Troopers refer to it as a DC-4. The NTSB is dispatching investigators to the site to gather further information, including the intended destination and purpose of the flight.
