Too much moose meat and antlers caused a fatal Alaska plane crash killing a congresswoman’s husband — NTSB report reveals deadly cargo overload — El Paso, El Paso County, Texas Attorney911 brings 25+ years of aviation and catastrophic injury litigation experience, former insurance defense attorney insider advantage, multi-million dollar verdicts including $50+ million recovered for Texas families, FMCSA and NTSB-level evidence mastery, black box and cargo violation specialists, wrongful death and life-altering injury advocates — Federal Court admitted, free 24/7 consultation, no fee unless we win, 1-888-ATTY-911, Hablamos Español
Overloaded Plane Crash in Alaska: How Improper Loading and Unapproved Cargo Led to Tragedy When a Simple Hunting Trip Turned Deadly: The Alaska Moose Meat Plane Crash It was supposed to be a routine hunting trip. A group of hunters flew into the remote wilderness near St. Mary’s, Alaska on September 12, 2023. They successfully harvested a moose, and the first flight to ferry the meat to a larger airport went smoothly. But on the second trip—just after takeoff—the small Piper PA-18 plane crashed. The pilot, the only person onboard, died shortly after the accident despite first aid from the hunters. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spent nearly two years investigating this crash. Their final report, released in July 2025, revealed a shocking truth: the plane was overloaded by 117 pounds—carrying 520 pounds of cargo when it was only certified to handle 403 pounds. The excess weight came from moose meat and a set of antlers strapped to the wing. While Alaska allows antlers to be hung on aircraft wings, this particular plane lacked the required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for the practice. The NTSB concluded that the crash was caused by excess weight and the unapproved external…