A father and his two young daughters endured a harrowing night of survival after their small aircraft crashed into an icy Alaskan lake during what was meant to be a routine sightseeing flight.

According to AP News, the family spent approximately 12 hours stranded on the wing of their partially submerged Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser before being rescued from Tustumena Lake by the Alaska Army National Guard.

The trio's rescue came after Terry Godes, responding to a Facebook plea for help from the pilot's father, John Morris, joined about a dozen other pilots in a morning search operation on Monday. During his aerial search near a glacier, Godes spotted what initially appeared to be wreckage but turned out to be the survivors waving from atop their aircraft's wing.

Community Search Effort Leads to Miraculous Discovery

The search operation began after John Morris posted an urgent message on social media Sunday night, desperately seeking assistance in locating his son and granddaughters who had failed to return from their afternoon flight. The missing aircraft, which lacked a locator beacon, had departed from Soldotna for a sightseeing tour to Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula. Local pilots quickly mobilized to help, demonstrating the tight-knit nature of Alaska's aviation community.

Terry Godes recounted the emotional moment of discovery. His words captured the intensity of the situation:

It kind of broke my heart to see that, but as I got closer down and lower, I could see that there's three people on top of the wing. They were alive and responsive and moving around.

Another pilot, Dale Eicher, played a crucial role by relaying the coordinates to authorities from his position near Skilak Lake, where cell reception was better. The successful coordination between civilian pilots and rescue services proved instrumental in saving the family's lives.

Challenging Weather and Geographic Conditions

Tustumena Lake, spanning 60,000 acres on the Kenai Peninsula, presents unique challenges for aviation with its notorious wind patterns and treacherous conditions.

Michael Kutz, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Anchorage, explained how the surrounding terrain creates unpredictable air currents. The lake's position near glaciers and mountains, combined with Cook Inlet's temperature and tidal variations, creates what pilots describe as a "recipe for chaos and turbulence."

The survivors faced temperatures that dropped into the 20s Fahrenheit during their overnight ordeal. Despite wearing only basic clothing typical for small aircraft travel, the girls remarkably remained relatively dry throughout the incident. Their father, however, had been in the water at some point and showed signs of hypothermia upon rescue.

Complex Rescue Operation Challenges

Lt. Col. Brendon Holbrook, commander of the 207th Aviation Regiment, detailed how the initial rescue plan had to be modified when helicopter downdraft endangered the smallest girl during the attempted hoist operation. The rescue team adapted quickly, implementing an alternative approach by hovering alongside the wreckage to safely retrieve the survivors.

The precarious position of the aircraft, partially submerged in the icy lake, added another layer of complexity to the rescue. The plane's tail had fortunately refrozen in the ice, preventing it from sinking completely and providing a stable platform for the family's survival.

Continuing Investigation into Alaska Aviation Incident

The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska division is currently working to establish contact with the pilot to determine the cause of the crash. Mark Ward, an NTSB investigator, indicated that the pilot had not yet filed an accident report, and further attempts to reach him would be made on Wednesday.

This incident adds to a series of recent aviation challenges in Alaska, where small aircraft serve as crucial transportation links between communities. J

ust last month, ten people perished when an overloaded commuter plane crashed near Nome, and five years ago, a midair collision near Soldotna claimed seven lives, including a state lawmaker.

Remarkable Tale of Survival Comes to Light

A father and his two young daughters survived against incredible odds after their sightseeing flight ended in near-disaster at Tustumena Lake, about 80 miles southwest of Anchorage. Their 12-hour ordeal on the wing of their partially submerged aircraft, enduring subfreezing temperatures and dangerous winds, concluded with a successful rescue operation coordinated between civilian pilots and the Alaska Army National Guard.

The family was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, though the father showed signs of hypothermia from exposure to the icy waters. The incident highlights both the risks and resilience inherent in Alaska's aviation-dependent lifestyle, while demonstrating the effectiveness of community-based search efforts in emergency situations.

Why This Story Matters

This remarkable story transcends merely reporting a close call. It brings forward the vital importance of community support, quick-thinking, and preparedness. The collaborative effort that led to the family’s rescue underscores a poignant reminder of how interdependent and responsive communities can save lives, reinforcing just how imperative unity and readiness are in times of crisis.

In conclusion, this harrowing survival story from Tustumena Lake serves as a profound testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the critical role of community in disaster response, and the unexpected dangers that can arise even during routine activities. Their ordeal and subsequent rescue illustrate nature’s unpredictability and the paramount importance of preparedness and community support.