Pilot and Two Children Rescued After Surviving Plane Crash on Icy Alaska Lake

The trio endured freezing conditions for 12 hours on the wing of a partially submerged aircraft before being saved by the Alaska National Guard.

A Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser crashed into Tustumena Lake, Alaska, on March 23, 2025, during a sightseeing flight, leaving the pilot and two children stranded on the wing of the plane.
The survivors, all immediate family members, were rescued on March 24 by the Alaska Army National Guard and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Volunteer pilot Terry Godes located the wreckage after joining the search effort spurred by a community-wide call for assistance.
Tustumena Lake, known for its hazardous winds and challenging terrain, contributed to the severity of the crash and the difficulty of the rescue operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into the crash, with no cause identified yet.