5 fatalities

Aircraft Disappears en Route to Cantwell (N7984Q)

Anchorage, United States of AmericaFlight

On July 25, 1984, a Cessna 401 (registration N7984Q) operated by Alaska Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Anchorage, United States of America in flight. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: undetermined. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A VFR flight from Anchorage to Cantwell disappeared after the pilot obtained weather briefings indicating IFR conditions at destination. No communication was received, and an extensive search found no trace.

Incident Overview

At 0630 Alaska Daylight Time, the pilot of a company VFR flight received a weather briefing forecasting VFR conditions with occasional marginal conditions along the route of flight. At 0704, an updated briefing reported that the destination, Cantwell, was IFR. The aircraft departed Anchorage International Airport at 0731 AKDT. No further communication was received from the aircraft, and it did not arrive at Cantwell.

Search Efforts

An extensive search was conducted following the aircraft's failure to arrive. Despite these efforts, no trace of the aircraft or its occupants was found. The investigation was unable to determine the reason for the disappearance.

Official Findings

The official probable cause for this occurrence was listed as "reason for occurrence undetermined." The aircraft's phase of operation at the time of the incident is unknown.