From Denali Park -Personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Park Service concluded their on-scene investigation of the crash site above the East Fork of the Toklat River in Denali National Park and Preserve Friday afternoon.

The remains of Gordon Haber, 67, of Denali Park, have been removed from the aircraft wreckage and will be released to the Office of the State Medical Examiner. Working with the owner, park rangers are developing a plan to remove the plane wreckage.

Pilot Dan McGregor,of Denali Park, remains at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, undergoing treatment for burns. McGregor not only survived the crash, but walked from the crash site to the Igloo Creek Campground, where he encountered two campers from New Hampshire late Thursday night. Nicholas Rodrick and Jesse Hoagland walked four miles with McGregor to the Teklanika River Rest Area, where their car was parked, and drove him to his home just outside the park boundary. They
returned to the campground Friday to retrieve their camping equipment.

No additional information about the accident will be available until the NTSB has completed their investigation.

 The wreck of the burned Cessna was found on a steep mountain slope at the East Fork of Toklat River. The crash happened on Wednesday and killed Gordon Haber. The injured pilot walked from the crash site to Igloo campground where he found help.

Photo courtesy of National Park Service

Pilot Dan McGregor, 35, of Denali Park has survived a plane crash that killed wolf biologist Gordon Haber inside Denali Park on Wednesday.

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Dan McGregor of Denali Park is alive. McGregor’s Cessna 185 crashed inside Denali Park on Wednesday. McGregor has signficant burns and has been transported to a Seattle burn center.

In spite of his injuries, he walked from the crash site, 7 miles from the Park Road, to the Igloo Campground where 2 campers took him to his home outside the park boundaries.  He called his family to let them know he was alive and then called state troopers.  The Park Service was notified at 10:30 on Thursday night.

McGregor was alert and in good spirits while being treated late Thursday by the Tri Valley Volunteer Fire Department while waiting for the air ambulance to take him to Fairbanks. It is estimated that despite his burns, he walked 20 miles to get help.  He will be interviewed later by the NTSB for information on the crash.  He has confirmed that the remains in the plane are that of researcher Gordon Haber.

Update 9:30: The plane that went missing Wednesday in Denali National Park appears to have been found. (more…)

The search is underway for an overdue aircraft inside Denali National Park. Pilot Dan McGregor and independent wolf biologist, Gordon Haber, are on board. (more…)