Planes Collide - Two Alaskan pilots luckily escaped with only a few injuries after their planes collided mid-air over Mat-Su on Saturday.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety announced that two separate wreckage sites were found around Knik Goose Bay Road and Vine Road when emergency response staff visited the area after being notified about the collision.
Reports indicate that one of the planes involved in the crash is an Alaska State Trooper fixed-wing aircraft. The Alaska Wildlife Trooper, who was driving the airplane, has been identified as 35-year-old Levi Duell. He is reported to have escaped the incident with the least injuries - nonetheless, he was taken to a medical center in Mat-Su after the incident.
Meanwhile the other pilot, 52-year-old Jeffry Bara, is said to have sustained more serious injuries. He reportedly had to be extricated from the rubble of his plane and was transferred via LifeMed to a nearby hospital. There were no passengers in both planes at the time of the accident.
Officials say the planes collided at about 1:00 p.m. It is unclear what may have made the planes collide. The weather seems to have been bright and there have been no reports of visibility problems from other pilots. The National Transport Safety Board has reportedly opened an investigation into the incident.
Alaska State Troopers Spokeswoman Megan Peters, who confirmed the news of the accident, failed to state the exact conditions of the pilots.
But a hospital spokesman told the press their names were not on the directory. It is possible both patients may have been discharged or were taken to a more private ward to avoid the unwanted media attention.
