A pilot from Saline is dead after his tourist airplane crashed in Alaska’s Denali National Park on Saturday, killing four other people.
The plane had taken off Saturday evening with a pilot and four passengers from Poland for a tour of Kahiltna Glacier.
After going down, the pilot, identified as Craig Layson, reported by satellite phone that passengers suffered injuries but the connection failed before he could give details.
Low clouds and rain prevented crews from spotting the wreckage until the weather cleared on Monday and a helicopter reached the crash site. A park service ranger descended by short-haul line.
The ranger dug through the snow covering the plane and found the bodies.
Layson was a part-time pilot for K-2 Aviation in Alaska, and was a businessman in Ypsilanti.
Alaska Tourist Plane Crash Piloted By Saline Man
Aug 7, 2018 | 11:42 AM

More From WJR
Two Dead and Nine Injured After Mass Shooting at Brown University
Authorities say a man dressed in black walked into the Barus and Holley building on the campus of Brown University and shot ten people. Two people are dead and nine others were inj...
6h ago
Ugochukwu Scores 23, Sparks Spartans to Big Ten Win Over Penn State
Michigan State opened its Big Ten road slate with a tense 76-72 win over Penn State at Bryce Jordan Center. The Spartans, coming off a tough loss to Duke, stumbled out of the gate,...
12h ago
WJR Honors Military Families During 2025 Christmas On Us
On Friday, 760 WJR honored U.S. military members and veterans with its annual Christmas On Us. Four Michigan active military families and veterans were chosen based on listener sub...
17h ago
SPOTLIGHT PODCAST

Dec. 12, 2025 ~ David Sowerby, the managing director and portfolio manager at Ancora Bloomfield Hills, joins Kevin Dietz to discuss how President Donald Trump and a divided board are to pick a new Fed chair.

Dec. 12, 2025 ~ U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13) joins Kevin Dietz to discuss the articles of impeachment against RFK and Pete Hegseth.

Dec. 12, 2025 ~ Dr. Tim Nash, senior vice president emeritus and director of the Northwood University Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, joins Chris Renwick and Jamie Edmonds to discuss the monthly trade deficit falling to its lowest in five years following the imposition of sweeping global tariffs.





