A plane crash that resulted in the death of former U.S. Representative Mary Peltola’s husband, Eugene Peltola Jr., was attributed to an overload of moose meat, according to a report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday.
Peltola was flying solo in a Piper PA-18-150 aircraft that had 117 pounds of additional weight, exceeding the maximum takeoff limit by about 6%. The NTSB noted that even after the consumption of fuel during flight, the aircraft would still be over its maximum landing weight by approximately 180 pounds upon reaching its destination.
On September 23, 2023, Peltola was transporting moose meat from St. Mary for five hunters after a successful hunt. While his first flight went smoothly, the second attempt struggled with takeoff, partially due to the moose’s antlers being tied externally to the plane. Such practices are not uncommon in Alaska but require prior approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Upon inspecting the cargo post-accident, investigators found a total load of around 520 pounds, which included mainly moose meat and sets of horns. About 150 pounds of the meat was discovered in the front section of the plane’s belly pod.
The NTSB confirmed that there was no indication of the meat shifting during the flight, and the horns remained securely attached to the aircraft’s wing struts, not interfering with flight control cables.
Further examination revealed that the plane itself was built 70 years prior to the incident and had undergone numerous significant repairs, indicating that the original structure was largely compromised.
The cause of death for Peltola was determined to be blunt force injuries. Bystanders rushed to assist him following the crash, but officials stated that, without immediate medical intervention, his chances of survival were very slim.
The accident site was located about 400 miles from the nearest hospital, making prompt medical treatment unfeasible, as it could only be accessed by air, noted the NTSB.
Peltola had obtained his commercial pilot’s license nearly 20 years before the crash and had spent many years working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
