Plane crash near Haines kills Juneau pilot, Californian

Plane crash near Haines kills Juneau pilot, Californian

ANCHORAGE — Four men are dead and one is in the hospital after two separate plane crashes in Alaska on Saturday.

TV station KTUU reports 81-year-old Sam Brice of Fairbanks and Howard “Buzz” Otis of North Pole died after the single-engine plane they were in crashed while landing near Fairbanks.

A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman says a Piper PA-30 crashed near Haines, killing the pilot, 29-year old David Kunat of Juneau, and a man from California whose identity has not yet been released. Another passenger, 31-year old Chan Valentine of Juneau, survived the crash and was taken to a hospital. The extent of his injury is unknown.

The NTSB and Alaska State Troopers are investigating the cause of the two crashes.

Read more here: Friends, family mourn Juneau pilot killed in plane crash

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