Four Adults Die in Small Plane Crash in Seldovia Slough, Alaska
Four adults died after a small Piper PA-24 plane crashed into Seldovia Slough in Alaska on Wednesday afternoon. Alaska State Troopers were notified of the incident at 1:18 p.m. and dispatched a helicopter crew from Anchorage and troopers by boat from Anchor Point to the scene. The aircraft, which was en route to Seldovia from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage, sank completely in the water. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Troopers recovered the bodies of the four deceased adults from inside the plane at approximately 6:30 p.m., once the tide level had dropped. The pilot was identified as 68-year-old Eric Middlebrook of Alaska. The other three victims were identified as Ronald Schmidt, 65, Lance Schmidt, 20, and Daniel Simons, 82, all from California. The bodies are being sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. Seldovia City Manager Heidi Geagel confirmed the plane went down near the airport in Seldovia Slough. 
