On July 27, 2026, at approximately 9:36 p.m., the Alaska State Troopers received a report of a plane crash at the Dan Creek Airstrip near McCarthy.

Due to the remote location and nighttime conditions, troopers responded by state aircraft at approximately 6:00 a.m. on July 28. Upon arrival, responders located the wreckage and confirmed that three people had died in the crash.

The deceased have been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office, where autopsies and positive identification will be conducted. Next of kin will be notified before the victims’ identities are released.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been notified and is expected to investigate the cause of the crash.