NTSB says pilot may have been trying to avoid a dog on Nanwalek runway before deadly plane crash

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Investigators believe the pilot in Monday’s deadly plane crash near Homer may have been avoiding a loose dog on the runway in Nanwalek.

The Cessna 207 was carrying three people when it went down Monday afternoon, killing 48-year-old pilot and Homer resident Daniel Bunker and 37-year-old Anchorage resident Jenny Irene Miller. The third person was medevaced to an Anchorage hospital with “serious” injuries, according to state troopers.

Witnesses interviewed about Monday’s deadly plane crash reported a loose dog was spotted on the runway as the Cessna was making its approach from Homer to the Nanwalek airstrip, according to Clint Johnson, Chief of the Alaska regional office of the National Transportation Safety Board.

“What we understand now is that there may have been an animal, namely a dog, that was on the runway,” Johnson said. “The pilot initiated a go-around. There was also another company airplane behind — he was talking to that airplane at the same time — said he was initiating the go-around, made a right turn away from the runway, pretty steep climb, and unfortunately, there was a loss of control.”

Johnson said the plane may have experienced an aerodynamic stall, which is different than an engine stall, which led to the loss of control and ultimately the crash.

Bunker was piloting the Smokey Bay Air plane with Miller and an unidentified man onboard.

While Johnson said the plane likely stalled, he cautioned that the investigation is just getting started.

“We don’t want to draw any conclusions at this point,” Johnson said. “We still are in the very formative stages. We are going to be looking very closely at that airplane. We are in the recovery process right now to get that airplane back to Homer and probably eventually back to Anchorage here where we are going to lay it out and make sure there are no mechanical issues that led to this loss of control.”

Johnson said the plane crashed on the beach and is close to the water, which means investigators will work to remove it as soon as possible.

“Right after the accident ... rescuers were able to pull that wreckage up a little bit further away from the water, but nevertheless it is in the tide zone,” he said.

Johnson said investigators are working with the operator, Smokey Bay Air, and its insurance company to coordinate the recovery of the wreckage.

He said investigators continue to interview witnesses and ask anyone who has witnessed the crash but has not been contacted by the NTSB to submit a statement at witness@ntsb.gov

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