Alaskan Plane Collision Kills..., Judith Basin Co., MT

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Alaskan Plane Collision Kills Former Area Resident, Son

Four Anchorage, Alaska men died March 16, 1968 in a mid-air collision between two light planes above
Kalgin Island in Cook Inlet, about 100 miles SW of Anchorage. 

Two victims of the air disaster have been identified as Stanford W. Skelton, 49, 4824 E. 20th Ave.,
Anchorage, an outfitter and guide, and his son, Richard V. Skelton, 27, 4225 Spenard Rd., Anchorage.

The Skeltons had at first planned to fly in search for Mason LaLelle and two other Palmer fliers,
missing since Feb 27, but apparently changed their plans and flew to the Kenai region for clams.

Kalgin  Island near Polly Creek, a popular clam digging area, is heavily frequented by air traffic when 
tidal and weather conditions make clamming possible. There were reports form the accident scene that 
one of  the planes was taking off, the other attempting to land, when the collision occurred.

Richard V. Skelton was born Aug. 25, 1940 in Great Falls. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and 
children Stanford, seven months; daughters, Jackie Kay, five and Corrina, three.

The older Skelton was born July 7, 1918, in Stanford, MT. He was married in 1937 to Alice Rafter. Both
 were in the 1937 graduating class at Geyser, MT. The Rafters were former Denton residents.

He is survived by his widow, Alice, and children, Mrs. Gayle Florio, Quincy, IL, Leslie Skelton,
Mrs. Nona Frish ( should be Frisk) , Michael, Torrie, and Twana. He has a nephew Bay Skelton of 
Stanford. His mother Mrs. Sophie Skelton, Great Falls, also survives as do two sisters, Lou and Donna
of Denver, and a brother Donald who teaches at Manhattan.

His mother and twin brother and sister, Donald and Donna, flew to Anchorage on Sunday to attend
the military funeral held Tuesday after noon. Both men were veterans.