A pilot and his two young daughters miraculously survived a plane crash into an icy Alaska lake, enduring 12 hours on the aircraft’s wing before being rescued. The Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, which departed from Soldotna Airport near Kenai on a Sunday sightseeing trip, was reported missing after failing to return as scheduled.
The search for the missing plane intensified when John Morris, the pilot’s father, made a plea on social media for help in locating his son and granddaughters. The Kenai community responded swiftly, with volunteers joining the search efforts alongside the Alaska National Guard and state troopers.
Terry Godes, a volunteer pilot who saw the Facebook post calling for assistance, spotted the wreckage near the eastern side of Tustumena Lake on Monday morning. To his amazement, he saw three people alive and responsive on top of the partially submerged plane’s wing.
The 60,000-acre Tustumena Lake, known for its sudden and dangerous winds, proved to be a challenging environment for survival. Despite sub-zero temperatures overnight, the pilot and his two daughters of elementary and middle school ages managed to stay alive in the harsh conditions.
Following their discovery, the Alaska Army National Guard rescued the survivors and transported them to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The community’s quick response and the family’s knack for survival led to a heartwarming outcome in what could have been a tragic situation.
Dale Eicher, another local pilot who participated in the search, expressed his shock at the positive outcome, stating, “I didn’t expect that we would find them alive for sure… it doesn’t always turn out this well”.