Alaska State Police say bush pilot Jim Tweto, known for his starring role in the Discovery Channel’s “Flying Wild Alaska” series, was killed along with a hunting and fishing guide from Orofino when their small plane crashed shortly after takeoff Friday.
Tweto’s family-run rural aviation business was featured in three seasons of the television series a decade ago. He and passenger Shane Reynolds of Orofino died Friday near the coastal village of Shaktoolik, roughly 125 miles east of Nome.
According to a report, the plane was witnessed taking off but not climbing and then crashing. Troopers were notified of an SOS activation around 11:48 a.m. Friday, followed by a report that a Cessna 180 had crashed 35 miles northeast of Shaktoolik.
Troopers responding from Nome recovered both bodies. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
