Wasilla men among victims of Denali crash

DENALI NATIONAL PARK — The man who was the driving force behind the development of Wolf Lake Airport was one of two Wasilla men who died in a cargo plane crash in Denali National Park on Sunday.

John Eshleman, 52, and Paul Quartly, 66, died in the fiery crash of the the Fairchild C-123, along with ”Wild” Bill Michel, 61, Delta Junction, the owner of All West Freight Inc. and the plane’s pilot.

According to Denali National Park officials, the identities were determined through interviews with people familiar with the plane and the intended flight on Sunday. Forensic examination is expected to confirm those identities.

At about 3 p.m. Sunday, the large multi-engine cargo-type aircraft crashed into the south-facing slope of Mount Healy within a mile of the park headquarters and about 200 yards north of Denali Park Road.

The first personnel arrived on scene within minutes, but the wreckage was already engulfed in flames, NPS officials said.

On Monday morning, Larry and Susan Draveling, owners of Wolf Lake Aircraft Services, started hearing rumors that their neighbor, Eshleman, had died in Sunday’s crash. Later, they got confirmation from Eshleman’s family members.

“We’re in shock today,” Larry Draveling said Monday night. “It’s hard to even imagine he’s gone.”

Draveling said he watched the cargo plane take off on Sunday. The only oddity he noticed was the landing gear on one side didn’t come up, but he said that would have had nothing to do with the crash. He said he expects the investigation will find the plane lost power.

Draveling said Eshleman had his own C-123, which he bought from a Florida museum and flew to Alaska about a year ago.

“He’s been trying to build time in it,” Draveling said. He said Eshleman was likely Michel’s co-pilot on this trip. The other crash victim, Quartly, is believed to be an employee of Eshleman’s. Eshleman owned Stepper Construction. No additional information was immediately available.

Longtime Palmer pilot and flight instructor Bob Smith said Eshleman’s pilot credentials included Pipers, Navajo commuter planes and helicopters.

Smith described his fellow pilot as “always friendly.”

“He was always trying to do things right,” Smith said.

The Dravelings said Eshleman’s energy made Wolf Lake Airport grow into the facility it is today. Wolf Lake is between Palmer-Fishhook and Wasilla-Fishhook roads, north of Bogard.

“The guy has more energy and more motivation than is practically humanly possible,” Susan Draveling said, still speaking in the present tense.

“It’s (the airport) developed this way because of him,” Larry Draveling said. “I don’t know what will happen with him gone.”

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the park mid-morning Monday, and have completed an aerial reconnaissance and preliminary ground survey of the site, according to an NPS release.

Those offices will take over the on-scene investigation when the state medical examiner’s work is completed.

The crash started a wildland fire. Monday evening’s press release indicated responsibility for overseeing the continued mop-up of hot spots within the one-acre burn had been transferred from the Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers to Denali’s NPS wildland firefighter personnel. National Park rangers will continue to provide security for the site until the ground investigation is completed.

Denali Park Road is open to traffic and Rock Creek Trail has reopened. Roadside Trail will remain closed until the on-site investigation has been completed. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) that was in effect over the crash site was canceled by mid-afternoon on Monday.