The Latest: FAA says Alaska air carrier suspends operations
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — The Latest on a second fatal Alaska floatplane crash in a week (all times local):
10 a.m.
Federal officials say an Alaska air carrier involved in two deadly floatplane crashes in a week has voluntarily suspended operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the halt of flightseeing and commuter flights is in place until further notice.
The action comes after the passenger and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air were killed when the aircraft crashed in Metlakatla Harbor on Monday afternoon during a scheduled commuter flight from Ketchikan.
Taquan Air officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board in Alaska, says witnesses reported the crash occurred during landing.
Monday’s crash followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Beaver floatplane with another floatplane. Six people died in that crash and another 10 people were injured.
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6:25 a.m.
Authorities say the second Alaska floatplane crash in a week has killed two people in the same region where two floatplanes collided last week in an accident that left six people dead.
Ketchikan Gateway Borough spokeswoman Deanna Thomas said in a statement that the passenger and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air crashed in Metlakatla Harbor Monday afternoon.
The accident followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Beaver floatplane with another floatplane.
Thomas says the circumstances of the latest crash are not yet being made public.
The victims in the latest crash were not identified because their families were being notified.
Thomas says the floatplane was being towed to land.
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