← Latest briefing

US News

Air Force identifies officer killed in Alaska charter plane crash

Second Lieutenant Leah R. Borsich was among eight people killed when a Security Aviation flight crashed in heavy fog near Cape Newenham.

The short version

  • The U.S. Air Force has identified 2nd Lt. Leah R. Borsich, 23, as one of the eight victims of the August 20 charter plane crash in remote western Alaska.
  • The Cessna 441 twin-engine plane crashed during its second landing approach near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in heavy fog.
  • The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, which resulted in no survivors.
  • The victims included two pilots, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, four contractors, and Borsich.

Key facts

  • The crash occurred west of Cape Newenham, approximately 450 miles west-southwest of Anchorage, on August 20 around 12:15 p.m.[Fox News]
  • Lt. Borsich was a project programmer serving with the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.[Fox News]
  • The charter flight, operated by Anchorage-based Security Aviation, aborted its first landing attempt due to low visibility before crashing on its second approach.[Fox News]
  • The passenger group, consisting of military and contractor personnel, was traveling to support a project for the U.S. Air Force at the remote radar facility.[Fox News]

What remains uncertain

  • The precise cause of the crash has not yet been determined as the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation.[Fox News]
  • Officials have not disclosed the specific nature of the work the project delivery team was traveling to perform at the Cape Newenham facility.[Fox News]

Sources