Four Dead After Small Plane Crashes into Seldovia Slough, Alaska
Four adults died after a small Piper PA-24 plane crashed into the Seldovia Slough in Alaska on Wednesday afternoon. Alaska State Troopers were notified of the crash at 1:18 p.m. The aircraft, which was en route to Seldovia from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage, sank completely in the water. Rescue efforts involved a helicopter crew from Anchorage and troopers arriving by boat from Anchor Point. The bodies of the four deceased adults were recovered from inside the plane around 6:30 p.m. after the tide level receded. The pilot has been 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 cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Seldovia City Manager Heidi Geagel confirmed the incident occurred near the airport. 
