Aero Commander 690A, Anchorage, Alaska, July 28, 2006–Commander Northwest Aero Commander N57096 is presumed to have crashed about 23 miles west-southwest of Anchorage. Neither the airplane nor its three occupants have been located. The airplane is presumed to have been destroyed, and the three occupants are presumed dead.
Radar and the operator’s satellite position information indicated that the last position of the airplane was over the ocean waters of Cook Inlet, a saltwater inlet off the Gulf of Alaska with strong tidal influence and strong currents.
The purpose of the VMC flight was for the local company check pilot to oversee a routine area familiarization flight for the pilot and for him to gain additional experience flying the airplane from the left seat, and flying low and slow.