THREE VICTIMS IDENTIFIED AFTER ALASKA PLANE CRASH IN HEAVY FOG THAT KILLED ALL 8 ON BOARD

CAPE NEWENHAM, Alaska — Three of the eight people killed when a charter plane crashed while attempting to land at a remote Alaska airport have now been identified, as investigators work to determine exactly what happened during the flight through heavy fog.

The crash occurred on Aug. 20 at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, roughly 450 miles west of Anchorage. The civilian-contracted aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers when it went down during an attempted landing. All eight people aboard died.

Among those identified are Sabrina Hansen and Hayden Scalis, both employees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and 23-year-old U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Leah Borsich, an Anchorage resident who worked as a project programmer with the 611th Civil Division.

THE THREE WERE TRAVELING ON A WORK MISSION

Hansen, Scalis and Borsich were traveling to the remote site for work involving the maintenance and inspection of a new fire-suppression system, according to local reporting cited by PEOPLE.

They were not tourists or casual travelers. They were public servants traveling to carry out a routine assignment in one of Alaska’s most isolated regions.

Their deaths have therefore sent shock waves through both the military and Army Corps of Engineers communities.

Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, described the three as dedicated public servants and professionals and expressed condolences to their families and colleagues.

THE PLANE WAS FACING HEAVY FOG

The aircraft reportedly encountered heavy fog while attempting to land at the remote radar-site airport.

The challenging weather is now one of the key circumstances being examined by investigators.

The Cape Newenham site is extremely remote, making aviation an essential part of reaching the facility.

The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the crash and is working to reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments.

At this stage, officials have not announced a final cause of the crash.

That means it would be premature to conclude that weather alone caused the tragedy.

A YOUNG AIR FORCE OFFICER REMEMBERED

Borsich was only 23 years old.

U.S. Air Force Col. Timothy Meerstein remembered her as a positive leader who brought energy and enthusiasm to her work.

He said she led with professionalism, compassion and purpose, adding that her presence strengthened the people around her.

Her death has been especially painful for colleagues who knew her as a young officer building her career and serving her country.

The other five victims have not yet been publicly identified in the latest reports.

THE CRASH HAS DEEPLY AFFECTED ALASKA’S AVIATION COMMUNITY

Small aircraft play an important role in Alaska, where enormous distances and remote communities make air travel essential.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski expressed condolences to the families and thanked the Coast Guard, NTSB, Alaska State Troopers and other agencies involved in responding to the crash.

Rep. Nick Begich also described the news as particularly difficult for Alaska’s close-knit aviation community.

The tragedy has once again highlighted the risks faced by pilots and passengers traveling through some of the state’s most remote and unpredictable environments.

INVESTIGATORS NOW FACE A CRITICAL QUESTION

The NTSB’s investigation will examine the aircraft, weather conditions, flight path, communications, airport environment and other factors that could explain why the landing attempt ended in disaster.

Investigators will ultimately need to determine whether the fog played a decisive role — or whether mechanical, operational or other factors contributed.

For the families, however, the investigation is about more than determining a technical cause.

It is about understanding how eight people who had traveled to a remote Alaska facility for work never made it home.

EIGHT LIVES LOST

Three victims have now been publicly identified:

• Sabrina Hansen, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Hayden Scalis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• 2nd Lt. Leah Borsich, 23, U.S. Air Force

Five other people aboard the aircraft also lost their lives.

Their identities are expected to be released as authorities complete the identification process and notify their families.

For now, investigators are working through the evidence from a crash that occurred in one of the most isolated corners of Alaska.

Eight people boarded a civilian-contracted aircraft for a mission in remote western Alaska. Heavy fog surrounded the attempted landing. The plane went down, and no one survived.

Now, as three victims are remembered by name, their families and colleagues are waiting for investigators to answer the question that remains:

What went wrong during those final moments above Cape Newenham?