Katherine Davis Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Oct 22, 2020

Katherine

Davis

25

5

36 inches

45 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

On a harsh winter day in Alaska, February 9, 2005, five-year-old Katherine Jo Marie Davis was with her family on a flight from Dillingham when a tragedy occurred that would change their lives forever. She, along with her two sisters, Samantha and Jesse, were passengers in a Cessna 206 aircraft piloted by their father. As they flew near their home of Port Alsworth, the plane encountered a blinding snowstorm and white-out conditions, forcing a hard landing on the ice-covered surface of Lake Clark. The impact caused the ice to fracture, and the aircraft quickly began to sink into the frigid depths, estimated to be about 800 feet deep. In the terrifying moments that followed, Katherine's parents, Jeremy and Michelle Davis, managed to escape the sinking plane. Her father, who was strapped in, had to cut his own seatbelt to get free and desperately tried to unbuckle his daughters' seatbelts but was unable to save them before the plane was submerged. The parents, having survived the crash, then faced an arduous two-mile trek through the blowing snow to find help. They eventually reached an empty cabin, where they were able to radio for assistance and were treated for hypothermia. The devastating news spread quickly through their small, close-knit community of about 100 people, who gathered at a local church to pray for the family and mourn the profound loss of the three young girls. The case of Katherine Davis and her sisters is a heartbreaking story of a family outing that ended in an unthinkable catastrophe. The disappearance of the three girls was the direct result of the plane crash, and they were tragically unable to escape the submerged aircraft. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board cited factors including snow, a low ceiling, and whiteout conditions contributing to the accident. Due to the extreme depth of Lake Clark, recovery efforts for the children or the aircraft were not initiated, leaving the family and community to grieve without the closure of a final resting place. The incident remains a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the suddenness with which tragedy can strike.

Feb 09, 2005

Dillingham

Alaska

Dillingham Census Area

No

77160

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

050010402

2005-02-09

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/01/2026