December 29, 2015 - Just after 6 AM this
morning, A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft
crashed into two office buildings in
Anchorage
Alaska killing the pilot. At this
time it is unknown if any one else was onboard
the Cessna 172, (N914CP) the pilot has been
identified as 1st Lt. Douglas Lawrence Demarest.
Upon impact, the aircraft was completely
destroyed and burst into flames causing major
fire damage to the two downtown office buildings
on West Fourth Avenue. In a statement, the
Civil Air Patrol reported the pilot was not on a
Civil Air Patrol flight and was not authorized
to fly the aircraft. Demarest joined the CAP in
2010, he held a private pilot certificate in a
airplane single engine land and instrument
airplane rating.
Officials report they do not believe the crash
is related to terrorism as witnesses reported
the aircraft sounded like it was having engine
problems just before the crash. However, the FBI
will be assisting in the investigation. National
Transportation Safety Board Alaska Region Chief
Clint Johnson said, "Some evidence warrant us
bringing them into the investigation." Johnson
declined to elaborate further.
The Cessna 172 first struck the Brady Building
on the forth floor and then hit the Whale
Building which houses District Attorney's office
and state departments of Law and Corrections.
The fire department reported the buildings did
not incurred structural damage, the exterior of
the buildings were mostly impacted and at the
time the buildings were empty of workers.
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