An airplane crash Friday near Cantwell killed three people. The remains of pilot 61-year-old Dale Hemman Steilacoom, Washington, as well as 74-year-old passenger John Ellenberg and 52-year-old Laura Buckner, both from South Carolina, were recovered from the crash site.
Hemman was flying a plan in a large tour group headed for Homer. The group took off from Fairbanks Friday morning. The crashed plane was discovered by an Alaska Divisionof Forestry employee who was investigating a fire ignited by the crash near mile 195 along the Parks Highway.
Alaska State Troopers are asking for help from anyone who may have seen the white twin-engine B-55 Beech Baron prior to the crash. The aircraft has two blue stripes running the length of the plane. The tail number is N5JG.
