A Douglas DC-4 aircraft crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks and burst into flames on Tuesday, authorities said. No survivors have been found, Alaska State Police said.
The plane took off from Fairbanks International Airport in the morning. The plane crashed about 7 miles (11 kilometers) away and “slided down a steep riverbank hill, where it caught fire,” Alaska State Troopers said.
The Federal Aviation Administration described the plane as a Douglas C-54. Officers confirmed it was a DC-4. The C-54 is the military version of his DC-4, a World War II-era plane.
Clint Johnson, director of the NTSB’s Alaska field office, said the National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to the scene.
Johnson said it remains unclear what happened between takeoff and the crash, but tower management “saw a large plume of smoke.”
Details such as the purpose and destination of the flight are not available at this time.
