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Plane crashes after takeoff in Alaska, bursts into flames: no survivors found

Writer's picture: Victor NwokoVictor Nwoko
A fire burns after a Douglas C-54 Skymaster plane crashed into the Tanana River outside Fairbanks, Alaska, Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

On Tuesday, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks and caught fire, with no survivors found, authorities reported.


The plane departed from Fairbanks International Airport in the morning but crashed about 7 miles (11 kilometers) away, sliding into a steep hill on the riverbank where it ignited, according to Alaska State Troopers.




Clint Johnson, head of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska regional office, mentioned that it's unclear what transpired between takeoff and the crash, but the tower operator spotted a large plume of smoke.


Michaela Matherne, who was flying from Galena village to Fairbanks, was redirected to verify the crash site's coordinates. She shared via Facebook Messenger, "We didn't know what we were looking at until after we landed a few minutes later. We were shocked and saddened."



The C-54, a military variant of the Douglas DC-4 used in World War II, typically had 44 passenger seats but is now mainly used as a freighter. The Federal Aviation Administration referred to it as a Douglas C-54, while troopers identified it as a DC-4.


The NTSB is dispatching investigators to the crash site, Johnson confirmed.

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