Vintage Cessnas Down North Of Anchorage

Officials report that no one survived a midair collision Sunday involving two Cessna aircraft about 20 miles north of Anchorage, AK.

NTSB investigator Clint Johnson told the Associated Press a Cessna 170B with four onboard and a Cessna 172 collided above the Palmer Hay Flats south of Wasilla, at an altitude of approximately 500-800 feet.

"It appears that the westbound aircraft apparently saw the other aircraft at the last moment, tried to avoid the collision, but unfortunately that didn't work," said Johnson. He did not identify which plane was the westbound aircraft.

Rescuers found the wreckage of the planes about 500 feet apart.

A man and his three children were aboard the 170B (file photo of type, below). State troopers identified the victims as David Beauregard, 45, of Wasilla, and his three children: Ryan, 16, Conner, 13, and Remi, 9. The 172's pilot was William Smoke, 55, of Chugiak.

"I only recall hearing one sound when they hit the ground, so I'm pretty sure they hit at the same time," said witness Don Grant, who lives near the remote accident site.

According to FAA records, both aircraft were manufactured in 1955.

**   Report created 4/24/2006   Record 3
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4488B        Make/Model: C170      Description:
  Date: 04/23/2006     Time: 2020

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: Y    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BIRCHWOOD   State: AK   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N4488B, A CESSNA 170 ACFT COLLIDED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES WITH ANOTHER
  ACFT, N5049A, A CESSNA 172, THE 4 PERSONS ON BOARD N4488B AND THE ONE
  PERSON ON BOARD N5049A WERE FATALLY INJURED, BIRCHWOOD, AK

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   4
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   3     Fat:   3     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: BCV232036Z AUTO 02003KT 10SM CLR 07/M04 A2988

OTHER DATA

  Departed: BIRCHWOOD, AK               Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: ANCHORAGE, AK  (AL03)                 Entry date: 04/24/2006

FMI: www.ntsb.gov