Eugene Peltola's Plane Was Loaded With Over 500 Lbs Of Moose Meat, NTSB Investigators Say

Piper Super Cub Was On Second Of Two Flights Taking Meat To St. Mary's 

Before his plane crashed and killed him on September 13th, 2023, a group of five moose hunters loaded Gene Peltola's Piper Super Cub with moose meat, and Peltola (who was Alaska Representative Mary Peltola's husband) tied moose antlers to the right wing strut. 

He was headed, for the second time that day, to St. Mary's from a hunting camp. This second run was heavily laden – with over 500 lbs. of moose meat. 

The news came on Thursday, September 28th, from the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash. 

There had been a prior meat flight, but this time, according to the NTSB report, there was up to 70 lbs more meat on Peltola's second flight. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is still evaluating the flight, and reported that the hunters told Peltola the wind was gusting strongly. He took off at 8:45 pm. 

In a story on Alaska Public Media, the plane was reported by the hunters to the NTSB as being more "labored" in takeoff than it was the first flight.

Peltola did not die immediately. The hunters attended to him at the crash site until he passed away several hours later.