Alaska Congresswoman’s Husband Dies in Plane Crash Involving a Moose

by

Mary Peltola is getting to the bottom of her husband’s death.

Approximately two years past, the spouse of the previous Alaskan Congresswoman, Eugene Peltola Jr., tragically lost his life in a plane accident. The tiny aircraft he was piloting in St. Mary’s, Alaska, came crashing down shortly after takeoff.

As reported by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Associated Press, it was discovered in a final report that the Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub plane operated by Eugene, aged 57, exceeded its weight limit by 117 pounds. This excess weight was attributed to a significant amount of moose meat cargo he was carrying.

Apart from the aircraft exceeding its maximum takeoff limit, a pair of moose antlers had been affixed to the plane’s right wing, as stated in the report. These antlers created resistance when the plane started moving.

Given these circumstances, including rough air and strong winds, the NTSB report, as reported by the Associated Press, suggests that the high drag and sideways weight disparity probably caused the plane to lack enough power or control to fly safely over uneven ground.

The day before the accident, as per the report, Eugene led a team of hunters to an airstrip in St. Mary’s. There, they managed to catch a moose. Using satellite communication devices, they arranged for the transfer of its meat.

In my expertise, I often find myself in situations where precision and efficiency are key. On a recent occasion, after successfully transporting one batch of meat aboard a compact aircraft, I opted to forego weighing the cargo upon my return for the second load.

Despite the fact that two hunters were present at the scene of the crash and helped Eugene, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, Eugene sadly lost his life due to his injuries approximately two hours later.

According to Clint Johnson, the head of the NTSB’s Alaska region, the accident was due to a combination of several factors that came together in a particularly unfavorable way.

He clarified that if just one factor contributing to the crash wasn’t there, the plane likely would have been able to make a safe landing.

Two years following a devastating event, Mary, who was a member of the House of Representatives from September 2022 to January 2025, has submitted a civil lawsuit against Bruce Werba, the plane owner, due to accusations of negligence. According to Alaska News Source, she claims that the two companies he manages made her husband fly too many hours in potentially hazardous conditions and without adequate rest.

Furthermore, according to reports, she additionally claimed in the lawsuit filed on July 18 that the owner ordered her spouse to transport cargo illegally, without a necessary permit, on the outside.

Unfortunately, this is one of several freak plane accidents in recent years. For more, read on…

A few minutes before 9 p.m. Eastern Time, an American Airlines-operated American Eagle plane was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C., unfortunately, it crashed into an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the tragic loss of all those on board both vehicles.

The plane had a team of four flight personnel and 60 travelers on board, among whom were several athletes coming back from a national ice-skating training session held in Wichita, Kansas.

President Donald Trump called it a “dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital.”

The military helicopter carrying three individuals was previously monitored by air traffic control at an elevation of approximately 300 feet, which exceeded the standard ceiling of 200 feet near that airport as stated by the National Transportation Safety Board. Meanwhile, the jet’s last recorded altitude, based on FlightAware data, was around 375 feet.

The crash remains under investigation.

As a diligent follower, I’d express it as: “I will examine the human factors, the machinery, and the surrounding environment when investigating an incident. This includes analyzing all the people involved, scrutinizing the aircraft and helicopter, and assessing the operational conditions. This approach is our standard procedure.

As a dedicated follower of aviation news, I’d like to share that the last commercial airline crash on American soil prior to this incident was Colgan Flight 3407 which crashed into a house in the Buffalo, New York area back in 2009. Regrettably, this tragic event resulted in the loss of all 49 passengers and one person on the ground.

Around 6 p.m. Eastern Time, a Jet Rescue Air Ambulance Learjet 55 suffered a crash on a street in the northeastern part of Philadelphia.

As a devoted follower, I’m saddened to recount that all six individuals onboard the jet – a young hero who had recently conquered a critical health challenge, her brave mother, a dedicated doctor, a skilled paramedic, and our two experienced pilots – tragically perished. Additionally, a 37-year-old man, who happened to be driving at that moment, also lost his life in the incident.

Just one moment after departing at 6:06 pm, the plane met with a crash, as reported by FlightAware. Its scheduled destination was Branson, Missouri, where it intended to pick up a patient and her mother before returning them home to Mexico.

Shai Gold, a representative from Jet Rescue, stated that she had to battle significantly just to make it through, and regrettably, there was a tragic incident during her journey back home.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still investigating the accident. According to a report released by them on March 6 (as reported by NBC Philadelphia), it appears that the cockpit voice recorder, often referred to as the “black box,” didn’t record any flight audio during the incident and might have been malfunctioning for quite some time prior.

Nine travelers were on their way from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome, approximately 140 miles distant, when their Bering Air Cessna Caravan crashed around forty minutes into the journey.

On February 7, three bodies were found among debris located about 34 miles southeast of Nome, as reported by the U.S. Coast Guard. At that time, they suggested that it was likely that the remaining seven people, including the pilot, were trapped within the aircraft, which was in an unreachable state due to the poor condition of the plane.

In her statement, Senator Lisa Murkowski described Alaska as feeling more like a close-knit town rather than a large state. She explained that when misfortune occurs, the people affected are not distant from us. Instead, it brings us closer as a community, allowing us to mourn together and heal.

The NTSB said it would be investigating the crash.

39 p.m. local time, as reported by attorney Worrick Robinson IV based in Nashville.

Neil was not onboard at the time.

The attorney described the circumstances as swiftly developing, still being investigated, and noted that Mr. Neil expressed sympathy and gratitude towards those affected, appreciating the efforts of all emergency responders on the scene.

Initially, there were four individuals on the Learjet. Later, it was verified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the pilot unfortunately perished in the incident, whereas the co-pilot and one of the passengers sustained severe injuries.

According to WMTV 15 News, a preliminary report published on March 3 by the NTSB revealed that surveillance and cell phone videos of the event depicted the plane’s back left wheel positioned at an angle as it prepared for landing in Scottsdale, suggesting it was not aligned correctly with the runway.

Additionally, the report mentioned that the same flight team had experienced a problem during their landing in McAlester, Oklahoma, on June 20, 2024.

According to the report, a mechanic carried out routine checks and extra maintenance on the aircraft in December. Another mechanic responsible for the landing gear mentioned that nothing seemed odd, but an unusual amount of grease was used on the left landing gear.

Delta Airways Flight 4819, departing from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, made an emergency landing in the wrong position at Toronto Pearson International Airport, flipping onto its back, and subsequently ignited, carrying approximately 80 passengers on board.

According to Deborah Flint, the president and CEO of Toronto Pearson, everyone made it through safely, and 21 individuals required medical attention for minor injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

In a sudden moment, I found myself lying completely sideways, as I recalled on TODAY, Feb 18th. I was staring downwards and saw sparks, flames, and whatever was scraping the ground. The incident unfolded very rapidly, and we were left hanging from our seat belts, upside-down.

In my professional opinion, the disembarking process turned out to be surprisingly organized. Once the aircraft came to a halt and it became clear that most passengers were unscathed, the situation didn’t appear chaotic at all, given that there were no serious injuries reported.

According to Flint, the event transpired clearly under good weather conditions, and the Canadian Transportation Safety Board is currently conducting an investigation into it.

Approximately 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time, two small single-engine aircraft, specifically a Lancair 360 MK II and a Cessna 172S, experienced a midair collision at Marana Regional Airport, which is located near Tucson, Arizona.

In simpler terms, a Cessna plane safely touched down, whereas a Lancair aircraft crashed close to runway 3 and subsequently caught fire, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals, as reported by the NTSB.

As reported by the Federal Aviation Administration, each plane had two individuals on board, and the unfortunate victims discovered following the crash of the Lancair were confirmed to be a male and a female.

In a statement released through AZFamily, the Marana Regional Airport’s Superintendent Galen Beem expressed our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this unfortunate incident. This situation is unlike anything we’ve faced before, but we are incredibly thankful for the prompt actions taken by the Marana Police Department and Northwest Fire District during this time.

On its journey from Newark to Indianapolis, FedEx Flight 3609 encountered a bird shortly after taking off, causing it to make an urgent landing instead.

Despite the intense images of the plane’s fire during takeoff, remarkably, the Boeing 767 touched down securely at Newark Liberty International Airport at 8:07 a.m. Eastern Time. Fortunately, all three individuals on board the freight flight escaped injury.

The FedEx team operating the B767 had to handle an emergency due to engine trouble, which included a fire, and successfully landed back at Newark. They expressed gratitude towards the swift response of the crew and emergency services personnel in their statement to NBC News.

Aircraft specialist John Cox explained to NBC News that planes like the Boeing 767 are approved for flight even if one engine malfunctions, as they have the ability to continue flying on a single engine.

Essentially, Cox explained that this situation is similar to any ordinary engine malfunction in a vehicle. With only one engine functioning now, there are established protocols for handling such a scenario. Pilots undergo training specifically for these types of events, ensuring a secure landing.

On a fateful day, an individual airplane, steered by U.S. Bank’s Vice Chairman named Terry Dolan, collided with a residential property in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which was inhabited by two people.

On the very same day, Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Shawn Conway stated during a press conference that unfortunately, there were no survivors. However, he also mentioned that the number of individuals on board the aircraft was yet to be clarified.

Two days later, it was officially determined that Dolan had passed away by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner as a result of various traumatic impacts.

Furthermore, following the devastating fire that consumed their home, Kenneth Tobacman and Mary Butler, its residents, have shared their harrowing account of the incident as they personally witnessed it.

In an unexpected moment, Kenneth exclaimed on Good Morning America, “There was a tremendous explosion!” followed by blackout, and I noticed a flash with sparks or perhaps some smoke. It reminded me of saying, “What in the world is going on?

Read More

2025-07-24 19:49