ID'd: Family of 5 Killed in Plane Crash in Birchwood

The people on board the plane were members of the Greiner family from Eagle River who were heading to Seldovia for an overnight trip.

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By Colleen Kelly

Story Created: May 27, 2011 at 1:26 PM AKDT

Story Updated: May 27, 2011 at 2:11 PM AKDT

A Cessna 180 carrying five people crashed onto railroad tracks shortly after take off from the Birchwood Airport killing everyone on board; the crash was first reported at 10:14 a.m.

According to Anchorage police, the people on board the plane were members of the Greiner family from Eagle River who were heading to Seldovia for an overnight trip.

The crash victims have been identified as 46-year-old Lonn Greiner, his mother, 69-year-old Carolyn Greiner, and Lonn’s three children, 13-year-old Glory, 11-year-old Nathan, and 10-year-old Grace.

According to eye witness reports, the plane took off around 10 a.m., ascended, but apparently stalled shortly thereafter, plummeting to the ground and appeared to have exploded on impact. Police say the plane was “immediately engulfed in flames.”

NTSB officials remain on site investigating the cause of the crash.

Next of kin has been notified.

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DJ said on Saturday, May 28 at 9:28 PM

Every aircraft in use are required to have an annual overhaul and pass inspection.

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Kevin said on Saturday, May 28 at 3:18 PM

houston3610,mechanically sound and aesthetically pleasing can be two different things. Judging by appearance isn't good reasoning. If you aren't a certified aircraft mechanic, you probably don't know what you're talking about. Also, a lot of the aircraft you see from the road at Merrill Field are being rebuilt or repaired. That small sampling of aircraft would not make a good statistical analysis of the airworthiness of the entire Alaskan general aviation fleet.

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houston3610 said on Friday, May 27 at 10:25 PM

So sad, but over half the planes in Alaska need to have serious overhauls or be sent to the scrap heap. I shudder every time I drive by Merril Field and look at those junk heaps sitting there.

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