Goa, Aug. 22 -- A small aircraft crashed near a remote military facility in western Alaska after losing contact with authorities while making its second approach to a runway in heavy fog, killing all eight people on board.

The Cessna was attempting to land at the facility around midday Thursday when it went down about one-third of a mile (0.5 kilometres) from the gravel runway, according to Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief.

Johnson said the aircraft's two pilots were unable to see the runway because of poor visibility and were relying entirely on instruments. Regulations required the pilots to abandon their first landing attempt due to the weather conditions. The aircraft crashed during its s...