https://alaskapublic.org/2024/...ting-trip-ntsb-says/



Men who died in St. Mary’s crash were on a hunting trip, NTSB says

By Evan Erickson, KYUK - Bethel -September 17, 2024


Alaska State Troopers have released the names of four people killed late Sunday when a plane they were flying in crashed short of the runway in St. Mary’s.

Two of the four men who died were Alaska residents and two lived out of state, according to troopers.

The Alaskans who died were 34-year-old pilot and Chugiak resident Scott Grillion and 44-year-old Sterling resident Benjamin Sweeney. The out-of-state residents were 23-year-old Ohio resident Mario Gioiello and 25-year-old South Carolina resident Caleb Swortzel.

The Cessna 207 was owned and operated by Bethel-based air carrier Yute Commuter Service and was en route from Bethel to the lower Yukon River community at the time of the crash.

According to National Transportation Safety Board Alaska Chief Clint Johnson, the flight wasn’t part of the company’s regular schedule.

“This was for their personal use. And we have been told that they were using the airplane to go moose hunting in St. Mary’s,” Johnson said.

In a statement posted on social media, the company said that the plane’s pilot was employed by the company at the time of the crash. The statement also said that passengers on the flight included another current Yute employee, a former employee and someone on a personal trip.

Yute Commuter Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the backgrounds of the people who died.

On Tuesday, Johnson said that an NTSB team was en route to Bethel to spend the night before heading to the crash site.

“First thing in the morning, they’re going to launch up to St. Mary’s. They plan to be on the ground there in St. Mary’s, documenting the accident site as best as they can for most of the day,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that there are still no details available about what may have caused the fatal plane crash, and that he expects a preliminary report sometime next week.

Evan Erickson, KYUK - Bethel