NTSB: Aircraft collided at about 3,300 feet

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A team of investigators from the Transportation Safety Board arrived in Ketchikan on Tuesday
look into the fatal collision in flight of two passenger aircraft on Monday.

Six people are now confirmed dead. The coast
The Ketchikan Guards and Volunteer Rescue have located the last two casualties near
one of the sites of the crash Tuesday night. Ten people survived with injuries
ranging from relatively mild to severe. All passengers were cruising
visitors who came to Ketchikan aboard the Royal Princess cruise ship.

Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Board Member, spoke late
Tuesday afternoon to the media gathered in Ketchikan. She said the investigation
will include 14 NTSB staff, including three from Anchorage. Eleven already
are on the island.

Homendy pointed out that all the information for the moment
is preliminary and could change. But here's what she knows: two airline tour operators
collided in the air at 12:20 Alaska time Monday.

"The first plane was a DHC-3T turbine otter
Taquan Air owned and operated it, "she said. "Eleven people were on
board. A pilot and 10 passengers. The second plane belonged to a DHC2 Beaver
and operated by Mountain Air Service. Five people were on board: four
passengers and a pilot. "

The two aircraft were heading towards Ketchikan at
end of their tours. Homendy said the Taquan plane has descended from 3,800 feet
between 3,200 and 3,300 feet at about 150 mph.

The Mountain Air aircraft was at 3300 feet,
fly at about 125 mph.

"The two shots converged between 3,200 and
3,300 feet on the west side of George Inlet, "she said.

This area is an uncontrolled airspace, so it
had no contact with the air traffic controllers. No aircraft flew
recorder.

Homendy said that the NTSB investigation into
Ketchikan will last up to a week. She said the investigators will question the
Taquan aircraft pilot, surviving passengers, business employees and all
witnesses. They will also collect evidence and information about the places and
various parts, such as flight logs, flight plans,
aircraft maintenance procedures and history.

Homendy said the NTSB investigators will hold
another press conference today.

A team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board landed in Ketchikan to examine the fatal mid-flight collision between two travel aircraft on Monday.

Four people died in the crash, and two more
missing. Ten survived with injuries ranging from relatively mild to severe. All
the passengers were cruise visitors who came to Ketchikan aboard the Royal
Princess cruise ship.

Jennifer Homendy, a member of the NTSB Board of Directors, spoke to media gathered in Ketchikan on Tuesday afternoon. She said the investigation will include 14 members of the NTSB, including three from Anchorage. Eleven are already on the island.

Homendy pointed out that all the information for the moment is preliminary
and could change. But here's what she knows: two airline tour operators collided
in the air at 12:20 Alaska time Monday.

"The first aircraft was a DHC-3T turbine otter that belonged to
and operated by Taquan Air, "she said. "Eleven people were on board. A pilot
and 10 passengers. The second aircraft was a DHC2 Beaver owned and operated by
Mountain air service. Five people were on board: four passengers and a pilot. "

Both aircraft were heading towards Ketchikan at the end of
their visits. Homendy said the Taquan plane descended from 3,800 feet between
3,200 and 3,300 feet at about 150 mph.

The Mountain Air aircraft was at 3300 feet and was flying at about 125
mph.

"The two aircraft converged between 3,200 and 3,300 feet on
on the west side of George Inlet, "she said.

This area is an uncontrolled airspace, so it was not there
contact with air traffic controllers. None of the two aircraft were carrying a flight recorder.

Homendy said that the NTSB investigation in Ketchikan will last
up to a week. She said the investigators will interrogate the Taquan pilot
plane, surviving passengers, company employees and all witnesses. They too
gather evidence and information from the scene and various parts,
flight logs, flight plans, company operating procedures and maintenance
history of planes.

Homendy said the NTSB investigators will hold another press conference on Wednesday.

This report has been updated to reflect the fact that the last two victims were recovered.