A remarkable story of survival has emerged from Alaska, where a pilot and two young girls managed to stay alive for about 12 hours after their plane crashed and landed partially submerged in a frigid lake. They were perched on the wing of their Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser when help finally arrived, thanks to a local man who saw their desperate situation.
On Sunday night, Terry Godes came across a Facebook post seeking assistance to search for the missing plane, which didn’t have a locator system. On Monday morning, alongside other pilots, Godes set out to search the challenging Alaskan terrain. As he approached Tustumena Lake, near a glacier, he spotted what looked like wreckage in the water.
To his surprise and relief, Godes discovered the pilot and two girls alive and moving on the wing of the aircraft. They waved at him as he got closer, which filled him with joy and gratitude. He later shared that witnessing them alive felt like a miracle.
The trio had been on a sightseeing trip from Soldotna to Skilak Lake when their flight took a tragic turn. With Godes’ alert, the Alaska Army National Guard was able to rescue them from the eastern edge of Tustumena Lake. Fellow pilot Dale Eicher played a crucial role by relaying the plane’s coordinates to authorities, ensuring the victims received help swiftly.
Despite concerns about visibility and challenging weather conditions, rescuers located the family alive less than an hour after their search began, which was a huge relief. Fortunately, their injuries were not life-threatening, and they were taken to a hospital for further care.
Godes reflected on the various miracles that had occurred, noting how the plane remained afloat, allowing the survivors to stay on the wing through a freezing night with temperatures dipping into the twenties. Alaska’s vast wilderness requires many residents to rely on small airplanes to travel, making accidents like this more common.
In the past month alone, a tragic incident resulted in the loss of ten lives when an overloaded commuter plane crashed onto sea ice. The risks posed by flying in such rugged terrain cannot be overstated, as evidenced by earlier mishaps, including a midair collision that claimed seven lives.
For this recent rescue, the National Guard dispatched a helicopter, although an initial plan to hoist the survivors proved too risky due to high winds. Instead, the helicopter hovered nearby to safely bring the trio onboard.
Although the girls were relatively dry, the man reported feeling hypothermic after being exposed to cold water. Clothing designed for a quick flight was insufficient for the harsh elements they faced. According to the rescue commander, the situation had the potential to end much worse, as the plane was close to sinking but stayed afloat long enough for their rescue.
Tustumena Lake, the largest freshwater body on the Kenai Peninsula, is notorious for unpredictable winds, which can create dangerous conditions for pilots. Weather experts note that the location’s geography can lead to rapidly shifting winds and turbulent waters.
As of now, the cause of the crash remains under investigation. The pilot has not yet reported the incident to authorities, leaving questions about what led to this harrowing situation. Efforts are underway to gather more details and uncover what happened during that fateful flight.
