When his plane crashed earlier this month, the husband of Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola was carrying more than 500 pounds of moose meat and antlers, officials revealed.
Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, died shortly after the Piper PA-18 he was in crashed near the Village of St. Mary’s on September 12.
Peltola had already picked up one load of meat to Holy Cross and returned for a second load. He also strapped antlers to the right wing strut despite being warned of strong winds.
“The meat was strapped into the rear passenger seat area with both the seatbelt and rope and was loaded into the airplane’s belly pod, which did not have tie-down provisions.”
Hunters on the ground noticed that the “airplane appeared to be more ‘labored’ than during the previous flight.”
“They stated that, as the airplane reached the end of the airstrip, it pitched up and turned sharply to the right but, rather than climbing as before, the airplane flew behind the adjacent ridgeline and out of view.”
Peltola was found unconscious after the crash by one of the hunters. He died within two hours, officials said.
