ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The U.S. Air Force is mourning the loss of 23-year-old 2nd Lt. Leah R. Borsich, who was among eight people killed when a charter aircraft crashed near a remote military radar site in western Alaska.
Borsich was identified Monday as one of the victims of the Aug. 20 crash near the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport. The Air Force described her as a young officer whose leadership, professionalism and commitment had made a lasting impression on those who worked alongside her.
The tragedy claimed the lives of everyone aboard the aircraft, including two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees and four contractors, as well as the two pilots. The flight was supporting work at the remote radar installation, part of a network used to monitor aircraft activity in and around Alaska.
Borsich remembered as a positive leader
Colleagues remembered Borsich not simply for her position as a young Air Force officer, but for the influence she had already developed within her team.
Col. David Meerstein described Borsich as someone who led with “professionalism, compassion and purpose,” saying her presence strengthened relationships among the people around her. He said she had made a lasting impact on the team and expressed gratitude for her service to the nation.
Those comments have added a personal dimension to a tragedy that initially was defined by difficult weather, a remote crash site and a challenging recovery operation.
At only 23, Borsich was early in her military career, making the loss particularly painful for colleagues who saw significant potential in her future service.
Eight people died in the crash
The aircraft was a twin-engine Cessna 441 operated by Security Aviation, an Anchorage-based charter company.
It departed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport at approximately 9:15 a.m. on Aug. 20, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The flight was headed toward the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site, roughly 460 miles southwest of Anchorage.
The aircraft encountered extremely poor visibility while approaching the remote runway.
NTSB officials said the pilots were flying using instruments because of the weather. The crew had already made one missed approach before attempting to land again. The aircraft lost contact with Anchorage during the second approach and subsequently crashed into rising terrain approximately a quarter-mile from the runway.
All eight people aboard died.
Mission supported Alaska's defense network
The passengers were traveling for official work connected to the radar installation.
The Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that two of its Alaska District employees, Sabrina Hansen and Hayden Scalis, were killed. Hansen was a fire protection engineer and Scalis was a mechanical engineer. Both were conducting a routine project site visit supporting the Air Force.
Their assignment involved inspecting and performing maintenance on a new fire-suppression system at the Cape Newenham facility.
The radar site is one of several remote installations used to monitor aircraft operating around Alaska. Because of the state's enormous size and its proximity to Russia and the Arctic, these facilities play an important role in U.S. aerospace surveillance and defense.
That mission brought military personnel, government employees and contractors together aboard the same charter flight.
The crash occurred in difficult terrain
Cape Newenham is an extremely isolated location.
The radar installation sits in western Alaska, surrounded by rugged terrain and subject to rapidly changing weather. NTSB officials described the crash location as exceptionally remote, even by Alaska standards.
The aircraft was found on rising terrain close to the runway.
Investigators have emphasized the challenging weather conditions during the approach. Visibility deteriorated significantly, making the landing especially difficult.
The remoteness of the site also complicated the response and recovery effort.
Search-and-rescue personnel from multiple agencies worked in difficult conditions to reach the crash site and recover those who died.
Air Force leaders mourn the loss
Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Eleventh Air Force, previously described the deaths as a devastating loss for the military community.
Davis said the people aboard the aircraft were dedicated professionals performing a vital mission in a demanding environment. He also emphasized that supporting the victims' families, friends and teammates was the military's immediate priority.
Borsich's death has therefore affected more than one military unit.
Her colleagues were part of a larger group of military personnel, civilian employees and contractors supporting Alaska's defense infrastructure.
Investigation into the cause continues
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Investigators are examining the aircraft, flight path, weather conditions, communications and the circumstances surrounding the missed approaches.
The NTSB dispatched a six-person team to the crash site, while the Federal Aviation Administration sent an investigator.
At this stage, investigators have not announced a final cause.
That distinction is important because preliminary information about weather and the approach provides context but does not by itself establish why the aircraft crashed.
The final investigation could take considerably longer as officials analyze aircraft components, records, weather data and other evidence.
Alaska's aviation challenges
The crash also highlights the difficult environment in which aviation crews operate across Alaska.
The state has enormous distances between communities, remote military installations and challenging terrain. Small aircraft and charter flights are an important part of transportation and logistical operations.
Weather can change rapidly, particularly around isolated coastal and mountainous locations.
Pilots serving remote destinations must often rely heavily on instruments when visibility deteriorates. A missed approach can create additional complications when an aircraft is operating near rising terrain.
Those factors do not determine the cause of this particular crash, but they help explain why aviation safety is such a persistent concern in Alaska.
Families and colleagues face the loss
For Borsich's colleagues, however, the investigation is only one part of the story.
The Air Force is now mourning a young officer who colleagues say had already established herself as a positive and compassionate leader.
Her age makes the loss especially striking. At 23, she had potentially decades of military service ahead of her.
Instead, her career ended during a mission supporting an important defense installation in one of the most remote parts of the United States.
The comments from her commanders and colleagues suggest that her contribution was measured not only by her rank or responsibilities but also by the effect she had on the people around her.
A mission that ended in tragedy
The eight people aboard the aircraft were carrying out work tied to the operation and maintenance of a critical radar facility.
Two were Army Corps of Engineers employees. Others were contractors. Borsich represented the Air Force. Two pilots were responsible for flying the charter aircraft through difficult conditions.
Their roles were different, but they shared the same mission.
That mission was abruptly ended when the aircraft crashed near the runway.
As investigators work to determine precisely what happened, military leaders are focusing on supporting the families and communities left behind.
For those who knew Borsich, the investigation will never be the whole story.
She is being remembered as a young officer who brought professionalism, compassion and purpose to her work — qualities her colleagues say made her a positive leader and left a lasting mark on the team she served.
The NTSB investigation remains ongoing, and the official cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
Borsich and the other victims are being mourned by their families, colleagues and military communities. The investigation will determine the circumstances that led to the fatal crash.
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