August 1, 2020: A midair plane collision in Alaska on Friday killed seven people, including a lawmaker who was piloting one of the aircraft.
There were no survivors of the crash near the airport in Soldotna, a city on the Kenai Peninsula.
All were confirmed dead on scene except for one person that succumbed to injuries during transport to the local hospital. Troopers identified those killed as Rep. Gary Knopp, 67 of Kenai, who was the sole occupant of one plane. The six occupants of the other plane are identified as Pilot Greg Bell, 57 of Soldotna; Guide David Rogers, 40 of Kansas; Caleb Hulsey, 26 of South Carolina; Heather Hulsey, 25 of South Carolina; Mackay Hulsey 24 of South Carolina and Kirstin Wright, 23 of South Carolina.
Knopp, 67, was a Republican and a member of the state House bipartisan majority. Several colleagues expressed condolences.
The last fatal midair collision in Alaska happened in May of 2019 near Ketchikan. Six people were killed when two planes ferrying cruise ship passengers on sightseeing expeditions struck each other. Ten survivors of that collision were rescued from the site.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
August 1, 2020: A midair plane collision in Alaska on Friday killed seven people, including a lawmaker who was piloting one of the aircraft.
August 1, 2020: A midair plane collision in Alaska on Friday killed seven people, including a lawmaker who was piloting one of the aircraft.
There were no survivors of the crash near the airport in Soldotna, a city on the Kenai Peninsula.
All were confirmed dead on scene except for one person that succumbed to injuries during transport to the local hospital. Troopers identified those killed as Rep. Gary Knopp, 67 of Kenai, who was the sole occupant of one plane. The six occupants of the other plane are identified as Pilot Greg Bell, 57 of Soldotna; Guide David Rogers, 40 of Kansas; Caleb Hulsey, 26 of South Carolina; Heather Hulsey, 25 of South Carolina; Mackay Hulsey 24 of South Carolina and Kirstin Wright, 23 of South Carolina.
Knopp, 67, was a Republican and a member of the state House bipartisan majority. Several colleagues expressed condolences.
The last fatal midair collision in Alaska happened in May of 2019 near Ketchikan. Six people were killed when two planes ferrying cruise ship passengers on sightseeing expeditions struck each other. Ten survivors of that collision were rescued from the site.