Clayton McMartin, II Missing Person Case

Sep 11, 2023

Jun 03, 2024

Clayton

McMartin, II

61

59

69 inches

170 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

On August 27, 2023, 59-year-old Clayton Earl McMartin, II, a male from Roanoke, Texas, and his wife, Melissa, were aboard a Beechcraft Bonanza B-36 aircraft with tail number N6709Q. They had departed from Glennallen, Alaska, at 8:50 a.m., with the intended destination of Ketchikan. The couple had a deep admiration for Alaska, spending their summers there fishing, sightseeing, and enjoying time together. On this particular morning, they were embarking on a journey to Washington to visit their grandson before the start of moose hunting season. The last communication with their aircraft occurred approximately 18 miles inland of Cape Yakataga. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center initiated a search after being notified that the aircraft was overdue. Initial search efforts by the Alaska Air National Guard were hampered by poor weather conditions. Later in the evening on August 28, a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft located wreckage in the search area, but a positive identification could not be made at the time. The wreckage was situated in a remote, heavily glaciated area with deep crevasses near Mt. Leeper in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The challenging terrain and persistent bad weather made accessing the crash site impossible for several days. Due to the time that had elapsed and the severe conditions, the search and rescue mission transitioned to a recovery effort. Tragically, on September 5, 2023, the National Park Service confirmed that the couple had been involved in a fatal accident. Further reconnaissance revealed that the plane had come to rest on the Yahtse Glacier in a location that is continually accumulating snow, rendering the wreckage permanently inaccessible. Officials, including the National Park Service, Alaska State Troopers, and the National Transportation Safety Board, concluded that a recovery mission would be too hazardous for rescue crews. The investigation into the crash noted that the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions with low clouds and poor visibility before the aircraft made a rapid descent. Clayton and Melissa McMartin were remembered by their family as being incredibly generous, with an infectious gusto for life and a legacy of ingenuity and kindness.

Aug 27, 2023

Cape Yakataga

Alaska

Yakutat Borough

No

129418

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

AK23091427

2023-08-27

Alaska State Troopers

1074

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/14/2026