Alaska Department Of Public Safety,State Troopers Public Information Office

Dispatch Text:

UPDATE 8/27: The deceased adults recovered from the plane crash are identified as:

• Pilot Eric Middlebrook, 68 of Anchorage, Alaska

• Ronald Schmidt, 65 of San Jose, California

• Lance Schmidt, 20 of San Jose, California

• Daniel Simons, 82 of Los Gatos, California

Next of kin have been notified. 

ORIGINAL: On August 26, 2026, at 1:18 pm, the Alaska State Troopers were notified that a small plane had crashed in the Seldovia Slough. State Troopers and Wildlife Troopers from Anchor Point responded on the P/V Augustine, and DPS HELO 3 responded from Anchorage. A preliminary investigation determined that a Piper PA-24 bound for Seldovia from Merrill Field Airport in Anchorage had crashed into the water and was completely submerged. At approximately 6:30 pm after the tide level dropped Troopers were able to extract four deceased adults from inside of the small plane. Their bodies are being sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy. Once the bodies have been positively identified and next of kin has been notified, the names of the deceased will be released. The NTSB has been notified, and they will investigate the cause of the crash.