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Anchorage, Alaska — A remarkable survival story unfolded in Alaska when a pilot and his two young daughters clung to the wing of their plane for approximately 12 hours after it crashed into an icy lake, partially submerging in the frigid waters. Their ordeal came to an end when a good Samaritan spotted them and alerted authorities.
Terry Godes recounted how he learned of the missing plane through a social media post on Sunday evening that urged the community to help search for it. Notably, the aircraft lacked a locator beacon, complicating the search efforts.
The following morning, Godes joined a group of around a dozen other pilots to search the rugged landscape. After evaluating several potential sites, he headed towards Tustumena Lake, located near the edge of a glacier, where he initially believed he had found wreckage.
“It broke my heart to witness that, but as I approached, I noticed three individuals on top of the wing,” Godes reported to The Associated Press. After a quiet moment of prayer, he moved closer and was astonished to find that they were not only alive but also moving and waving.
The aircraft, a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, was on a flight from Soldotna to Skilak Lake at the time of the crash. While the exact ages of the daughters have not been confirmed, authorities indicated that they were of elementary and middle school age.
John Morris, the father of the pilot, made a heartfelt plea for search assistance on social media, expressing his concern as their flight extended beyond the expected time. “Friends are ready to search at daylight. This is my plea for any help to locate my family,” he wrote, illustrating the urgency of the situation.
Details of the Rescue
On Monday, the Alaska Army National Guard conducted the rescue operation after Godes informed the other pilots of the location of the crash site. Another pilot, Dale Eicher, picked up Godes’ radio communication and relayed the information to the authorities, facilitating the search further.
Eicher expressed his initial apprehension about finding the family, citing poor visibility conditions due to clouds obscuring the mountains. However, the quick discovery of the survivors brought much-needed relief to all involved.
Subsequently, the three were airlifted to a hospital, where their injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening. Godes remarked on the numerous factors that contributed to their survival, noting that the plane’s partial buoyancy prevented sinking, allowing them to remain on the wing through the night, despite temperatures dropping into the 20s.
“They endured a long, cold, dark, wet night, an experience they never expected to face,” Godes observed. This incident paints a vivid picture of the challenges posed by Alaska’s rugged landscape, where many communities depend on small aircraft for transport.
In a tragic recent history, Alaska experienced fatal incidents involving small aircraft, including a crash last month that resulted in ten fatalities and a midair collision five years prior that claimed seven lives.
The rescue operation involved a National Guard helicopter dispatched from Anchorage. Initially, they considered using a hoist to retrieve the survivors but deemed it too perilous due to the wind’s force on the children. Instead, the helicopter hovered nearby to safely lift them aboard.
Reports indicated that the daughters remained relatively dry throughout their ordeal, while the father had been in the icy waters, exhibiting signs of hypothermia. Lt. Col. Brendon Holbrook of the 207th Aviation Regiment commented on their attire, noting that they wore inadequate clothing for the frigid conditions typically experienced in such emergency situations.
“This was literally the best possible scenario and outcome,” Holbrook stated, reflecting on the fortunate circumstances that contributed to their survival. “The plane remained partially above water, and if the tail hadn’t refrozen, it would have sunk.”
The Challenges of Tustumena Lake
Tustumena Lake, spanning 60,000 acres and located about 80 miles southwest of Anchorage, is known for its treacherous weather conditions, characterized by sudden and dangerous winds that pose significant risks for both aircraft and boating activities.
Michael Kutz, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Anchorage, noted that the lake’s geographical features can create varying wind patterns, often leading to unpredictable weather. Godes added that the region’s proximity to the glacier and nearby mountain ranges exacerbates these conditions, creating a natural recipe for turbulence.
As of now, the cause of the plane crash remains under investigation. Mark Ward from the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska division indicated that there has been no report filed by the pilot, nor had they established contact with him at the time of reporting. Efforts to reach out to the pilot to gather more details about the incident are ongoing.
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