The plane, a Douglas DC-4, smashed into the Tanana River near to the Fairbanks International Airport at around 10.40am local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told The Independent.

The final report released by the National Transportation Safety Board describes a series of sudden and catastrophic mechanical problems that preceded the crash.

A Douglas DC-4 Skymaster starting at 40 below zero is a colossal event. Engines crank, whine, and cough before beginning to rumble in unison, louder than a parade of unmuffled Harleys. The exhaust ...