DAN JOLNG
Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Federal investigators have concluded that two commercial pilots from Anchorage, Alaska, failed to maintain minimal clearance while circling the Dillingham airport before they died in a 2013 crash.

A National Transportation Safety Board report Monday also faults the air traffic controller who issued ambiguous instructions and didn’t notice the plane’s descent to a dangerous altitude.

The Ace Air Cargo crashed March, 8, 2013, about 20 miles northeast of Dillingham in southwest Alaska.

The crash killed 38-year-old pilot Jeff Day and 21-year-old co-pilot Neil Jensen.

They had approached the Dillingham airport and received permission to descend to 2,000 feet but asked to enter a holding pattern while they checked runway conditions.

The minimal safe altitude southeast of the airport is 5,400 feet and the plane crashed at just below 2,000 feet.

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