Kaitlyn Blom Missing Person Case

Jun 07, 2017

Jan 04, 2021

Kaitlyn

Blom

23

14

65 inches

105 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

In the winter of 2016, a heart-wrenching story unfolded in the vast wilderness of Alaska, involving a 15-year-old girl named Kaitlyn Blom. On December 7th, Kaitlyn, her father Scott, and her younger brother Zachary, were eagerly heading to Anchorage from their home in Port Alsworth. They were on their way to a state volleyball championship, a trip filled with excitement and anticipation. Instead of their originally scheduled commercial flight, they opted to fly with a family friend, 25-year-old Kyle Longerbeam, in his single-engine Piper PA-28 Cherokee. The family was well-known and loved within their small, tight-knit community of about 150 people. The journey that should have been a routine ninety-minute flight turned into a devastating tragedy that would leave a permanent scar on their community. The small plane departed from Port Alsworth that morning but never reached its destination in Anchorage. Concern grew as time passed with no word from the aircraft. The following day, the heartbreaking discovery of debris in Lake Clark confirmed the worst fears. Searchers found the plane's co-pilot seat, three of its wheels, and some personal belongings of those on board floating in the frigid waters. Authorities believe the plane went down in the lake, a vast and deep body of water that would make recovery efforts incredibly challenging. The weather on the day of the flight was noted to have reduced visibility, including low-lying freezing fog over Lake Clark, which may have been a contributing factor to the crash. The pilot, Kyle Longerbeam, did not have sufficient training for an instrument rating, meaning he was required to fly under visual flight rules. Despite extensive search efforts, the main wreckage of the aircraft and the bodies of Kaitlyn, her father, her brother, and the pilot were never recovered from the depths of Lake Clark. The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the incident but was unable to determine a definitive cause for the crash due to the lack of physical evidence, ruling it as "undetermined." The community of Port Alsworth was left to grapple with the immense loss of four of its members. A year after the tragic event, the community came together for a memorial walk and bonfire to remember the lives lost and to support the surviving family members. The case of Kaitlyn Blom and her family is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound impact of sudden loss on a small community. While they are presumed to be deceased, they remain officially classified as missing until they are found.

Dec 07, 2016

Port Alsworth

Alaska

Lake and Peninsula Borough

No

35125

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

AK16088663

2016-12-08

Alaska State Troopers

Blond/Strawberry

Blue

Blue

07/20/2026