Four Lost in Fatal Cessna Accident in Birchwood Alaska

After taking off from Birchwood, a privately owned Cessna 172P Skyhawk crashed and burned in a forest close to Birchwood Airport, in Birchwood Alaska. Pilot/owner George Kobelnyk, 64, co-pilot Christian Bohrer, 20, Sarah Glaves, 36, and Kyle Braun, 27 all died in the crash. A post impact fire destroyed much of the evidence in the debris field. Kobelnyk not only had his flight instructor certification, but also had worked for the NTSB and the FAA. Locals heard the plane was flying low before it crashed but the cause of the accident is unknown. The impact blaze started a forest fire that also had to be handled. The accident is under investigation by the NTSB, FAA, Cessna, and Lycoming who manufactured the engines. The first responders included the Chugiak Fire Department and police department. The NTSB expressed condolences.

















Chinese billionaire Lam Kok purchased a French vineyard, and boarded a helicopter with three others, including his son, the former owner who was flying the helicopter, and a translator, to take an aerial tour of the 65-hectare (160-acre) vineyards and surrounding grounds. Lam Kok’s and James Gregoire’s wives had declined to fly.