Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

UPDATE 6/20 9:45 pm:  Today, the Alaska Army National Guard transported a search team of Alaska Air National Guard personnel and professional volunteers from the Alaska Dive Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team to Crescent Lake to continue the search. The team located the missing super cub in approximately 193’ of water while searching an area of interest identified on June 19 with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). With the use of divers and a ROV, the crew was able to float the plane and tow it to shore. Both Paul Kondrat and Mark Sletten were found inside of the plane deceased. Their bodies were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. Next of kin have been notified. The NTSB will determine the cause of the plane crash.

UPDATE 6/19 5:00 pm: Throughout the day, search teams from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, as well as DPS HELO 3, have searched Crescent Lake for the two missing persons and have not been successful. Search teams are still in the field searching with helicopters, divers, sonar, and boats.

The two occupants of the overdue Piper PA-18 Super Cub are currently listed as missing persons and are identified as:

• 41-year-old Utah resident Paul Kondrat
• 46-year-old Anchorage resident Mark Sletten

Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available.

ORIGINAL: On June 18, 2024, at 2:11 pm, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified that two hikers had witnessed a plane crash at Crescent Lake near Moose Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. DPS HELO 3 and a US Fish and Wildlife Service float plane responded to the area and located debris in the lake, with no signs of survivors in the water or on the shore. Through investigation, wildlife troopers learned that a super cub was reported overdue in the area with two adult males on board. An Alaska Air National Guard rescue team was dispatched by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) to the site; however, they were not able to locate either male. The Alaska Wildlife Troopers, in coordination with our local, state, military, volunteer, and federal partners, will be working to recover the two individuals throughout the day. The NTSB has been notified.