ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 14-year-old boy survived a helicopter crash that killed four people and spent a frigid night at the wreckage south of the Talkeetna Mountains before he was rescued, Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday.
Quinn Ellington of Palmer was being treated at a hospital with undisclosed injuries.
The Aerostar 350 was carrying State Department of Administration technicians when it went down in heavy snow Tuesday west of Sheep Mountain, about 120 miles northeast of Anchorage. Bad weather prevented a search of the area by air Tuesday, but a rescuer in a State Troopers' helicopter spotted the wreckage of the Era Helicopters' aircraft shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Air National Guard pararescue jumpers helped stabilize the survivor and he was transported by 9 a.m. to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Ellington was the stepson of one of the dead technicians, Michael D. Seward, 37, of Palmer.
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The teen's family did not want to discuss his condition, according to state administration officials. Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said she did not know Ellington's condition, but "he wasn't reported to have any life-threatening injuries."
Beside Seward, troopers identified the victims as the pilot, Benoit Pin, 39, of Anchorage, and passengers Thomas E. Middleton, 46, of Anchorage and Joseph C. O'Donnell, 48, of Girdwood.
The adult passengers were Department of Administration technicians based in Anchorage. They were working on upgrades to several sites along Alaska's emergency telecommunications system, officials said.
Administration Commissioner Annette Kreitzer said she met with Anchorage colleagues of the dead men Wednesday morning. Her department also will provide grief counseling for them.
"They're going through all of those stages of grief," Kreitzer said. "Like me, first they were in shock, then sort of disbelief, then just coming to terms with this and getting through the day. It's a terrible tragedy."
It was not immediately clear why a 14-year-old boy was on a state mission, but administration officials said they investigating that matter.
Officials with Era Helicopters limited comments to a released statement from company president Neill Osborne that says the company was working with authorities to determine the cause of the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
The bodies were recovered Wednesday, Peters said.
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