FirstAlerts
Plane CrashesVersion 27

Four killed in small plane crash into water near Seldovia, Alaska

A Piper PA-24-260 crashed into shallow water near Seldovia, Alaska, killing all four aboard; the cause is under investigation.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 27, 2026, 12:39 a.m. ETUpdated Aug 31, 2026, 4:58 p.m. ET
people died when a crashed into shallow water near , Alaska, on August 26, 2026, according to the Independent, BizToc, Fox News, and other outlets. The aircraft was submerged in about 15 feet of water in the Slough near the shore, according to MyMotherLode and the Daily Mail. Alaska State Troopers recovered the bodies from inside the plane at around 6:30 p.m. after the tide level dropped, and the state medical examiner will conduct autopsies, the Daily Mail and MyMotherLode reported. The crash occurred at approximately , according to the Daily Mail, though KOTA Radio reported the time as The aircraft was on , according to MyMotherLode, the Times of India, the Economic Times, and KOTA Radio, though the Daily Mail reported it was on . The National Transportation Safety Board and Alaska State Troopers are investigating, according to MyMotherLode, the Daily Mail, and the Times of India. The cause has not been determined. First responders struggled to reach the aircraft in the frigid water, which can reach temperatures as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and had to wait for the tide to go out, MyMotherLode reported. Less than a week earlier, another plane crashed at a remote military site in western Alaska, killing all eight people on board, according to MyMotherLode and the Daily Mail.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
46 ft
Nearest aerodrome
0.4 miles SW of Seldovia Airport (PASO/SOV)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 2731 Aug 2026, 20:58current

    Four killed in small plane crash into water near Seldovia, Alaska

  2. Version 2630 Aug 2026, 22:26

    Updated to reflect the published status and refine source citations.

  3. Version 2530 Aug 2026, 21:18

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the crash date, time, and phase of flight, and to include the NTSB investigation status.

  4. Version 2430 Aug 2026, 20:13

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the crash time and phase of flight, and to include the NTSB investigation status.

  5. Version 2330 Aug 2026, 16:25

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the crash time and phase of flight, and to include the NTSB investigation status.

  6. Version 2230 Aug 2026, 15:42

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the investigation status and to clarify the time and phase of flight discrepancies.

  7. Version 2129 Aug 2026, 10:52

    Updated to include the reported time discrepancy (1:15 p.m. vs 1:18 p.m.) and the phase-of-flight discrepancy (approach vs takeoff), and to attribute the investigation status to the NTSB and Alaska State Troopers.

  8. Version 2028 Aug 2026, 09:22

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the crash time and phase of flight, and to clarify the investigation status.

  9. Version 1928 Aug 2026, 06:52

    Updated to include the date in the opening paragraph and clarified the time discrepancy.

  10. Version 1828 Aug 2026, 02:23

    Updated to include the date in the opening paragraph and clarified the time discrepancy.

  11. Version 1727 Aug 2026, 21:25

    Updated to include the date in the opening paragraph and to attribute the time and phase of flight disagreements to the specific outlets.

  12. Version 1627 Aug 2026, 19:16

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the identification of the pilot and passengers, and the investigation status.

  13. Version 1527 Aug 2026, 18:53

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the aircraft type, the time discrepancy, and the phase of flight discrepancy.

  14. Version 1427 Aug 2026, 17:52

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting; no material changes from v13.

  15. Version 1327 Aug 2026, 16:45

    Four Dead After Plane Crashes Into Water Near Seldovia, Alaska

  16. Version 1227 Aug 2026, 14:55

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting on the crash time and phase of flight, and to clarify the investigation status.

  17. Version 1127 Aug 2026, 14:11

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the aircraft type, time discrepancy, and investigation status.

  18. Version 1027 Aug 2026, 13:25

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the aircraft type, time discrepancy, and investigation status.

  19. Version 927 Aug 2026, 12:53

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the time discrepancy and the investigation status.

  20. Version 827 Aug 2026, 10:40

    Updated to reflect the published status; no substantive changes from v7.

  21. Version 727 Aug 2026, 09:25

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the aircraft type, the time discrepancy, and the phase of flight discrepancy.

  22. Version 627 Aug 2026, 09:00

    No changes from previous version.

  23. Version 527 Aug 2026, 08:22

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting, including the aircraft type, the date, and the investigation status.

  24. Version 427 Aug 2026, 07:22

    Added conflict on time and phase of flight; attributed figures to sources.

  25. Version 327 Aug 2026, 05:53

    Updated to reflect the latest reporting; no material changes from previous version.

  26. Version 227 Aug 2026, 05:23

    Updated to include the Times of India as a source and to note the developing status.

  27. Version 127 Aug 2026, 04:56

    First published.

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