Alaska plane crash kills former Bethel mayor and three relatives

A single-engine Piper PA-24-260 aircraft crashed into the Seldovia Slough in Alaska on August 26, 2026, killing all four people on board. The victims have been identified as pilot Eric Middlebrook, 68, a former mayor of Bethel, Alaska, and three relatives from California: Daniel Simons, 82, of Los Gatos, and Ronald Schmidt, 65, and Lance Schmidt, 20, both of San Jose.

The aircraft departed Anchorage's Merrill Field Airport en route to Seldovia when the incident occurred at approximately 1:18 p.m. Rescuers faced significant delays due to rising tides and the aircraft sinking roughly 15 feet into cold water. The NTSB and FAA are expected to investigate the circumstances of the crash, with preliminary accounts suggesting Middlebrook may have been attempting a go-around maneuver during a landing attempt from the north.