Alaska State Troopers have confirmed that a small commercial aircraft crash on Monday afternoon on the Kenai Peninsula claimed the lives of the pilot and a passenger, while a second passenger remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

The aircraft, operated by Homer-based Smokey Bay Air, was on a scheduled flight from Homer to the remote village of Nanwalek when it crashed during its landing attempt.

The incident occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m. on April 28, 2025, near the Nanwalek Airport.

On Tuesday, troopers identified the pilot as 48-year-old Daniel Bunker of Homer.

One of the passengers, 37-year-old Jenny Miller of Anchorage, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

A second male passenger, who has not yet been publicly identified, sustained critical injuries and was medevaced to an Anchorage hospital for emergency treatment.

The Alaska State Troopers reported that multiple 911 calls alerted authorities to the crash. Local first responders and volunteers were the first to arrive and began administering aid to the three occupants aboard the plane.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator accompanied troopers to the crash site to begin the official investigation.

According to NTSB Alaska Chief Clint Johnson, the crash occurred during the landing phase at Nanwalek Airport—a notoriously difficult airstrip due to its curved gravel runway, with only approximately 850 feet of usable landing surface.

Nanwalek, located at the mouth of Cook Inlet, is home to about 200 residents and relies heavily on small aircraft for access to and from the community.

The coordinated emergency response included assistance from Guardian Flight, LifeMed Alaska, Maritime Helicopters, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Alaska State Park rangers.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Further details will be released as the NTSB continues to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.