ANCHORAGE, AK — Two people were killed when a Cessna 185 crashed as it was departing a moose camp near Aniak in western Alaska. Alaska State Troopers received the report early in the afternoon of Sept. 15, and the aircraft was later found down in a wooded area near the village under circumstances that remain unclear.
The pilot and passenger were the only people aboard the air taxi. Officials identified them as 34-year-old Nicholas Peters of Eagle River and 50-year-old John “Jack” Ervin of Missouri. Troopers said next of kin for both men have been notified. The crash has drawn attention because the plane was owned and operated by Peters’ company, Nick’s Air Service.
Crash site lies about 30 miles southeast of Aniak
The National Transportation Safety Board said the crash site is roughly 30 miles southeast of Aniak, a middle Kuskokwim River community. The aircraft appears to have gone down in a wooded area near the village, but investigators have not publicly identified what caused the plane to go down.
Federal aviation records reviewed online indicate the crash occurred under unknown circumstances. That leaves open major questions about what happened during the flight and whether weather, terrain, or another factor played a role. For now, officials have only confirmed the location and the fact that no one survived.
Nick’s Air Service owned the air taxi involved in the crash
The plane was operating as an air taxi for Nick’s Air Service, according to the information released by troopers and the company’s website. Peters owned the business, which is based at Birchwood Airport in Chugiak. The company’s connection to the crash places the incident in the middle of a small operator’s own flight operations rather than a large commercial airline system.
No additional details have been released about the trip’s purpose beyond the fact that the aircraft was leaving a moose camp. Investigators have not said how long the flight had been underway or what destination the plane was headed toward when it crashed.
Troopers and the NTSB are working to reach the wreckage
State troopers and an NTSB investigator were both trying to get to the crash site, but poor weather slowed those efforts as of the afternoon of Sept. 16. The delay means investigators have had limited immediate access to the wreckage and the surrounding area.
In remote parts of Alaska, weather often plays a major role in search and recovery work, especially when aircraft go down away from roads and airports. Officials have not said when they expect to reach the site or whether the airplane’s condition has already been assessed from the air.
The victims were identified after next of kin were notified
Troopers identified the pilot as Nicholas Peters of Eagle River and the passenger as John “Jack” Ervin of Missouri. Both men were 34 and 50 years old, respectively. The notification of family members came after the crash report was received and before investigators were able to reach the site.
The identities provide the first clear public picture of who was aboard the Cessna 185. Beyond their names and home locations, officials have not released personal details about either man, and they have not described any emergency response at the scene beyond the ongoing recovery effort.
Investigation will focus on cause and conditions at the scene
The NTSB is expected to examine the wreckage, the flight path, and the circumstances surrounding the plane’s departure from the moose camp. Since the cause is still unknown, investigators will likely look at weather, the aircraft’s condition, and any other evidence that can be recovered from the site.
For now, the confirmed facts are limited: the crash happened near Aniak, the aircraft was a Cessna 185 air taxi, and both people on board died. With investigators still trying to reach the wreckage, the next updates are likely to come from troopers or federal aviation officials once the scene can be accessed.
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