1. In 1946, April 17 was the day a United States Coast Guard airplane crashed into Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The accident killed all 10 people on board.

2. On April 17, 1972, Alaska Airlines Flight 1866 crashed into a mountain near Juneau, Alaska. The accident killed all 111 people on board, making it the worst aviation disaster in Alaska's history.

3. In 1964, April 17 was the day of the second of the three massive earthquakes that hit Alaska that year. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake caused significant damage to Anchorage and triggered numerous landslides, but thankfully there were no reported deaths.

4. On April 17, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which officially recognized Filipino independence and allowed the Philippines to become a self-governing commonwealth. This event had an impact on Alaska due to the large number of Filipino immigrants who came to work in the Alaskan salmon canneries.

5. In 1991, April 17 marked the day that Unalaska Island was hit by a powerful volcanic eruption from Mount Okmok. The eruption lasted for two weeks, producing ash plumes that rose up to 45,000 feet and causing significant damage to the island's infrastructure. Despite the severity of the eruption, there were no reported fatalities or injuries.