Ted Stevens may be dead in a plane crash...

[Frozen Sooner]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6792MJ20100810

Guy did a lot for my home state. Whatever you may think of his personal politics, style, or whatever, here's hoping he's all right.

[OklahomaTuba]

Holy ****!

[olevetonahill]

Wishin fer the best for him and the Known survivors

[Frozen Sooner]

More detailed story from the Anchorage Daily News

Crews trying to reach downed plane with 8 aboard
Former Sen. Ted Stevens believed to be on plane, along with former NASA administrator
By BECKY BOHRER
The Associated Press
Published: August 10th, 2010 06:38 AM
Last Modified: August 10th, 2010 06:41 AM
A plane believed to be carrying eight people, including former Sen. Ted Stevens and former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, crashed in southwest Alaska and rescue crews were trying to reach the wreckage Tuesday morning, authorities said.

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Alaska National Guard spokesman Maj. Guy Hayes said there were possible fatalities. Five people were on scene early Tuesday helping the crash victims, he said. It was unclear how they reached the site.

A U.S. government official told The Associated Press that Alaska authorities have been told that Stevens, a former longtime Republican senator, is among several passengers on the plane. The official, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, says Stevens' condition is unknown.

The federal official declined to be publicly identified because the crash response and investigation are under way.

Defense contractor EADS North America said Tuesday morning that O'Keefe, the current CEO of the U.S.-based division of the European company, was a passenger on the small plane. The company said it has no further information about O'Keefe's status.

Hayes said the Guard was called to the area about 20 miles north of Dillingham at about 7 p.m. Monday after a passing aircraft saw the downed plane. But severe weather has hampered search and rescue efforts.

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Hayes said he was told by Alaska State Troopers that there were "eight or nine" people on board, though a spokeswoman for the troopers, Megan Peters, refused to comment.

She said all the agency could say for sure is that a plane went down and crews were "aggressively" trying to reach the crash site but having difficulty doing so. As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, she said she still hadn't received word that crews had reached the site.

"I can't go beyond, 'We're responding to a plane crash,'" she said.

The National Weather Service reported rain and fog at Dillingham, with low clouds and limited visibility early Tuesday.

Conditions ranged from visibility of about 10 miles reported at Dillingham shortly before 7 p.m. Monday to 3 miles, with rain and fog, reported about an hour later, according to the agency.

Stevens, a moderate Republican, was appointed to the Senate in 1968 and served longer than any other Republican in history. He directed billions of dollars to Alaska over the years.

But one of his projects -- infamously known as the "Bridge to Nowhere" -- became a symbol of pork-barrel spending in Congress and a target of taxpayer groups who challenged a $450 million appropriation for bridge construction in Ketchikan.

Stevens' standing in Alaska was toppled by corruption allegations and a federal trial in 2008. He was convicted of all seven counts -- and narrowly lost his Senate seat to Democrat Mark Begich in the election the following week.

But five months after the election, Attorney General Eric Holder sought to dismiss the indictment against Stevens and not proceed with a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct by federal prosecutors.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigative team has been dispatched from Washington, D.C., to the crash site and was expected on the ground Tuesday morning.

In Washington, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said the aircraft is a DeHavilland DH3T registered to Anchorage-based GCI Communication Corp.

Dillingham is located in northern Bristol Bay, about 325 miles southwest of Anchorage.



Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/08/10/1403264/crews-trying-to-reach-downed-plane.html#ixzz0wDO1u2MX

[GrapevineSooner]

Praying for all aboard and their families.

[soonerscuba]

Very sad, hope things are different than they seem.

[OklahomaTuba]

crazy, saw this on twitter...

On December 4, 1978, the crash of a Learjet 25C at Anchorage Airport killed 5people.Ted Stevens survived;his wife Ann, did not. - weird??!!!

[Flagstaffsooner]

Hey Froze, who was the Sen or Rep that disappeared in a plane crash in Alaska during the 70's and the plane has never been found?

[Ike]

damn...

[Frozen Sooner]

Hey Froze, who was the Sen or Rep that disappeared in a plane crash in Alaska during the 70's and the plane has never been found?

Rep. Nick Begich, father of current Senator Mark Begich. Rep. Hale Boggs of Louisiana was also onboard at the time.

[royalfan5]

Does Alaska have a significantly higher per capita plane crash rate?

[Frozen Sooner]

Does Alaska have a significantly higher per capita plane crash rate?

Highest per capital licensure rate.
Lots of small engine planes.
Inclement weather.
Lots of cruddy little "airports".

If it doesn't, I'd be surprised.

[KABOOKIE]

Sean OKeefe dead too. He was the NASA administrator when the shuttle disentegrated on reentry.

[Ike]

Sean OKeefe dead too. He was the NASA administrator when the shuttle disentegrated on reentry.

Have they confirmed that? I saw 9 people on board, 5 fatalities just a few minutes ago, but no word on who the fatalities are.

<edit: nine people on the plane, not nine passengers>

[KABOOKIE]

Yeah, usually that means there are 4 people that are pretty hard to identify or missing.

edit: OK there's reports of 2 survivors.

[Okla-homey]

Perhaps they will name his famous bridge in his memory. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Too soon?

[olevetonahill]

That bridge deal got killed
To soon ?

[badger]

If Ted Stevens is still alive, he still probably hates Tom Coburn for calling out the "Bridge to Nowhere," not to mention suggest that the funds go to replace a Hurricane Katrina bridge instead :D

But seriously, I'm never wish ill will on someone in the name of politics.

[Frozen Sooner]

Perhaps they will name his famous bridge in his memory. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Too soon?

Ironically, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is already named after him.

[Ike]

If Ted Stevens is still alive, he still probably hates Tom Coburn for calling out the "Bridge to Nowhere," not to mention suggest that the funds go to replace a Hurricane Katrina bridge instead :D

But seriously, I'm never wish ill will on someone in the name of politics.

Is it bad for me to think "If they had built a bridge, he might not have had to fly?"

Probably not...because it's probably not true. Unless it is.

[badger]

Is it bad for me to think "If they had built a bridge, he might not have had to fly?"

Probably not...because it's probably not true. Unless it is.

You're just saying what we're all thinking, but for the record, there was a ferry every 15 minutes from the little island to the mainland, so don't fault the lack of bridge for this one :)

[49r]

Ironically, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is already named after him.

So, if they wanted to re-name it in memoriam, would it be the "Ted Stevens Memorial Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport"?

[Okla-homey]

So, if they wanted to re-name it in memoriam, would it be the "Ted Stevens Memorial Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport"?

They should just rename it Porkopolis International. I'll never forget the fit Steven's threw in the well of the Senate when called on some of his earmarks.

[SicEmBaylor]

*Yawn*

I know I'm an *******. I'm not going to say it isn't tragic; I'm just saying I don't care.

[Viking Kitten]

Looks like Ted Stevens didn't make it.

Link (http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/10/alaska.plane.crash/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1)

[Chuck Bao]

My prayers and thoughts are with the families.

[olevetonahill]

I agree chuck . Ted lived 86 years so he had more than a lot of folks
still bad fer the families tho

[C&CDean]

If I can go down in flames at 86 I'm good with that. RIP.

[olevetonahill]

If I can go down in flames at 86 I'm good with that. RIP.

The only better way to go would be to be that age and a jealous husband cap yer ***:D

[49r]

The only better way to go would be to be that age and die of exhaustion from having sex with dozens of supermodels


Can't remember what movie that's a line in, but...ftfy

[Curly Bill]

I feel bad for his family. For Stevens himself: meh.

[Okla-homey]

I feel bad for his family. For Stevens himself: meh.

zackly.

[John Kochtoston]

Highest per capital licensure rate.
Lots of small engine planes.
Inclement weather.
Lots of cruddy little "airports".

If it doesn't, I'd be surprised.

Not to mention that flying is really the only way to get from one city to another for many folks in Alaska.

[swardboy]

The former NASA head survived...also his teenage son.

[tommieharris91]

Not to mention that flying is really the only way to get from one city to another for many folks in Alaska.

Doesn't the FAA have special rules and regs for Alaska because of the elements and the mountains?

[John Kochtoston]

Doesn't the FAA have special rules and regs for Alaska because of the elements and the mountains?

I really don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Frozen Sooner]

Doesn't the FAA have special rules and regs for Alaska because of the elements and the mountains?

Yep.