According to a report by the National Transport Safety Board, the crash of an Alaska plane that killed the husband of former U.S. Rep. Mary Pertra (D-AK) was likely due to the weight and horns of excess mousse meat inside the ship.
Eugene “Buzzy” Pertra Jr. was flying in the remote wilderness area of St. Mary’s, Alaska during a hunting trip that crashed on September 12, 2023. According to the NTSB, he died of blunt force injuries several hours after the accident.
The NTSB’s final report on the crash, released on July 22, stated that the plane was “heavyly loaded” of mousse meat, with the corners attached to the right wing without proper permission.
As a result, according to the NTSB, the plane is loaded by more than 100 pounds, and the angle can prevent takeoff and cause a collision.
It was carrying a second mousse meat when the plane crashed
Pertra was transporting mousse meat in two separate baggage to the operating base after a hunting trip. After Peltola successfully completed his trip to transport the first luggage, the Hunter loaded the plane, Piper PA, heavier with meat for the second trip, the NTSB said in the report.
In addition to carrying around 520 pounds of mousse meat, the plane was transporting corners attached to the right wing during its trip. In total, the plane weight was 117 pounds above the allowed maximum, according to the NTSB.
Carrying diagonals is a common practice in Alaska, but requires special approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
During takeoff, the plane went into the air and then crashed. Pertra survived the initial impact, but died less than two hours later, the report says.
The possible causes of the collision were a combination of planes carrying planes above the maximum approved weight and external loads on the corners, which are likely to degrade the performance of planes during takeoff.
The pilot who died in the crash of a plane was the husband of a former Alaska lawmaker.
Eugene Pertra Jr. previously served as regional director of the Indian Affairs Bureau in Alaska prior to his death. According to the NTSB, he had a pilot license since 1993.
He also married former Rep. Mary Pertra, who served in Congress from 2022 until his re-election loss last year.
In a statement at the time of her husband’s death, Pertra’s office said she was “grief due to the loss of her family.”
“He was one of those people who were all uncomfortable and excellent. He had a pleasant sense of humor that brightened up his darkest moments,” the statement said.
Former President Joe Biden also issued a statement after Pertra’s death, calling him a “devoted civil servant” and a “friend to everyone.”
“If you spend even a minute with Mary, you’ll feel the love she has for her state, its people, and more than anything, her husband and seven children,” the statement said.
Melina Kahn is a national trending reporter for USA Today. She can be contacted at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
