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A plane crash near an airport north of Anchorage that killed all all four people on board occurred after the small craft struck a bald eagle, investigators have revealed.
The aircraft burst into flames as it went down just north of Anchorage on 20 April claiming the lives of the pilot, co-pilot and two passengers.
It is the first US civilian plane crash to result in deaths after an impact with a bald eagle, said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The agency said there have been other crashes involving eagle strikes that have resulted in serious injuries.
In the Alaska crash, the resulting fireball consumed most of the wreck, which was found in a forested area.
But investigators found an unidentified substance on what remained of the aircraft’s frame, which they sent for forensic analysis.
NTSB spokesman Shaun Williams said: “They were able to determine that the portions of feather and other material came from an immature bald eagle.”
On board the plane were pilot George Kobelnyk, 64, co-pilot, Christian Bohrer, 20, and passengers Sarah Glaves, 36, and Kyle Braun, 27.
They were taking aerial photographs for a private firm around the northern part of Cook Inlet.
Alaska has 30,000 bald eagles, the largest population of the birds, which are found only in North America.
Agencies/Canadajournal
