Deadly Alaska crash blamed on excess moose meat and improper loading

Los Angeles: A newly released report by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that an overloaded cargo of moose meat and a pair of antlers strapped to the wing contributed to the fatal crash of a small plane in Alaska, which claimed the life of pilot Eugene Peltola in September 2023.

The incident occurred near St. Mary's, a remote area in southwest Alaska, shortly after the aircraft, a Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, departed from a backcountry airstrip located in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

According to the NTSB report, released Tuesday, the plane was carrying over 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of moose meat, making it more than 100 pounds over the aircraft's allowable takeoff weight. Additionally, a set of moose antlers strapped to the right wing strut further compromised the flight by increasing drag and disrupting the plane’s aerodynamics.

NTSB Alaska Region Chief Clint Johnson outlined three key contributors to the crash in remarks to local outlet Alaska News Source.

"Number one was, obviously, the overweight condition -- no ifs, ands, or buts there," he said, according to the website Alaskanewssource.com.

"The parasitic drag from the antlers that were attached to the right wing, and then also the last thing would be the wind, the mechanical wind turbulence at the end of the takeoff area, which unfortunately, led to this accident.

"If you would have been able to take one of those items out, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. But those things all in combination led to this tragic accident."

Peltola was the husband of Mary Peltola, a former US Representative and the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress. Mary Peltola made headlines in 2022 when she defeated former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in a special election, though she lost her re-election bid in 2024.

Strapping antlers to small bush planes is a relatively common practice in Alaska among hunters and pilots, but the NTSB noted that such loads can significantly impact flight performance when combined with other risk factors.

With AFP inputs