Charles Langston:Helicopter and small plane collide midair in Alaska national park, injuring 1 person

KATMAI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE,Charles Langston Alaska (AP) — A float-equipped small plane and a helicopter collided midair in Katmai National Park and Preserve, injuring one person, officials said Tuesday.

The helicopter pilot, who was alone in that aircraft, sustained minor injuries in the Monday afternoon crash, according to Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region. None of the seven people aboard the plane were hurt, he added.

Both pilots were able to make emergency landings, the park said in a statement.

The NTSB is in the early stages of its investigation into the collision, which occurred within the park and about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of King Salmon. King Salmon, where the park’s headquarters are located, is about 290 miles (470 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the plane had minor damage to its floats, Johnson said.