Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

UPDATE 9/17: Next of kin notifications have been completed. The individuals that were killed in this crash have been identified as:

• 23-year-old Ohio resident Mario Gioiello
• 34-year-old Chugiak resident and pilot Scott Grillion
• 44-year-old Sterling resident Benjamin Sweeney
• 25-year-old South Carolina resident Caleb Swortzel

Their bodies have been sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy. 

ORIGINAL: On September 15, 2024, at 11:15 pm, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center contacted the Alaska State Troopers about an overdue aircraft in the St. Mary’s area. St. Mary’s based Troopers responded to the last known location of the aircraft and located a crashed Cessna T207. Troopers located four deceased adult males at the wreckage site approximately ½  mile from the runway. Wildlife Troopers and US Fish and Wildlife Officers responded to assist with transporting the deceased individuals to the roadway so that they can be sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. The identities of the deceased men will be released once they have been positively identified and next of kin have been notified. The NTSB was notified and will investigate the cause of the crash.