Wasilla man among those lost in helicopter crash

ANCHORAGE -- By Sunday, search crews from the Alaska Air National Guard and Alaska State Troopers still had not located the site of the Era Aviation Inc. helicopter that crashed Thursday afternoon into the frigid waters of Cook Inlet, near an area where deeper channels delve to 65 feet.

The crash occurred in a snowstorm at 3:50 p.m., while pilot Bob Larson was flying four Federal Aviation Administration technicians back to Anchorage from Fire Island, where they had been working on aviation navigation aids. It was a 1.5-mile trip from Fire Island to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Searchers were able to recover the body of Larson, 60, of Anchorage, but not the bodies of Wasilla resident Ronald Frizzell, 53, or Joyce Tucker, 46, of Anchorage. FAA technicians Steven Durand, 47, and William Dick, 34, were rescued about 50 minutes after the crash, by the Air National Guard, and flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Search crews were able to pick up an electronic signal Saturday from the helicopter, but it did not lead them to the site.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Kurt Anderson arrived in Anchorage Friday from the Seattle regional office and began the process of interviewing survivors.

He studied maintenance and other records, but said completing the investigation hinges on finding the helicopter.