January 27, 2006
Friday AM

Ketchikan, Alaska - By Thursday night, Ketchikan Public Utilities (KPU) had still not turned the utilities back on at the Martin Street Mobile Home Park, the scene of a fatal jet crash and mobile home fire. According to Dave Martin, the incident Public Information Officer (PIO), KPU was expected to have the power restored by Thursday afternoon and the six displaced families returned to their dwellings.

The best of plans always have a tendency to go awry. In this case, waiting on the US Air Force EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) has changed the timetable by at least one day based on information obtained from Rich Leipfert, Ketchikan's Director of Public Safety.

At a press conference on Thursday morning , Martin introduced Scott Erickson of the National Transportation Safety Board of Anchorage (NTSB) who arrived in Ketchikan on Wednesday evening to assume control of the crash site and begin the investigation.

Erickson said, "We are just opening the documentation and beginning the preliminary investigation." When asked about the crash site, Erickson stated, "Both ejections seats have residual charges, explosive rockets. These need to be rendered safe by EOD."

When asked if the jet was equipped with a flight recorder, Erickson replied, "There was no flight recorder to my knowledge." "All we know so far is that the pilot [Stephen Freeman] indicated he would circle to land on runway 29."

Martin did add that the NTSB had requested FBI assistance with the investigation as they have an excellent evidence documentation team.

As the Public Information Officer (PIO), Martin was able to update the media on several statistics. One mobile home was destroyed by impact and fire and another was damaged by debris. Due to privacy requirements, names of the owners of the mobiles homes are not being released by City officials. Several vehicles were also damaged.

Martin said, "Contrary to earlier reports, there were a total of six people injured. Three of those were transported to Ketchikan General Hospital by EMS crews and the other three relied on self transport. Condition of the injured parties will not be released due to privacy issues.

Later in the day, at approximately 3:30 PM, the wreckage of the jet plane was removed from the crash site by NTSB for investigation.

It is believed that the US Air Force Ordnance team will arrive in Ketchikan sometime Friday morning to detonate the remaining explosives attached to the two ejection seats which are still located on Martin Street.

Once the US Air Force Ordnance team's mission is completed, KPU should be able to restore full power to the mobile home park and the residents will be allowed to return according to officials.

Related Story:

Ketchikan: Jet Crashes In Ketchikan, Pilot Killed By MARIE L. MONYAK - A Czechoslovakian made, but American owned, L-39 MS Jet crashed in Ketchikan on a snowy Wednesday afternoon killing the pilot. The jet crashed at approximately 12:50 PM into a wooded hill where Martin Street ends, adjacent to the A&P grocery store and a small mobile home park. - More...
January 26, 2006

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Ketchikan, Alaska