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Eric Middlebrook and Three Passengers Killed in Alaska Plane Crash

Four people were killed when a Piper PA-24 plane crashed into the Seldovia Slough in Alaska on Wednesday. The pilot, Eric Middlebrook, a 68-year-old former mayor of Bethel, was traveling from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage to Seldovia. He was joined by three passengers from California: Ronald Schmidt, Lance Schmidt, and Daniel Simons. Alaska State Troopers were notified of the crash at 1:18 p.m. and responded with a patrol vessel and a helicopter. The aircraft became submerged in 13 to 17 feet of water, making it difficult for rescuers to reach the wreckage immediately. Troopers were able to extract the four bodies from the plane at 6:30 p.m. after the tide had lowered. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the crash. Clint Johnson, the NTSB Alaska region chief, noted that the pilot may have been taking off or on a go-around when the plane crashed into the slough. The wreckage will be moved to either Seldovia Airport or Homer for further analysis.

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