He was killed in a plane crash:
Total Persons on Board:
Four (also onboard was Begich's aide Russell Brown, and pilot Don Jonz.)
When:
October 16, 1972
Weather:
Low clouds, fog, drizzle
Flight Route:
Disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau, Alaska
Area Believed Crashed:
Disappeared as it was approaching the Chugach mountain range in southeast Alaska.
Reason for flight:
Political junket
Type Plane:
Cessna 310C (FAA Registration - N1812H)
Search efforts:
At the time, this was the biggest search in the history of the country, involving 40 military and 20 civilian aircraft. Everything from Coast Guard helicopters and cutters, to Air Force spy aircraft, as well as numerous private aircraft. After thirty-nine days the air search was abandoned.
http://www.check-six.com/lib/Famous_Missin...es/AAR73-01.pdf