Pilot Under Investigation After Plane Crash Strands Family on Alaska Lake

The pilot, who violated aviation regulations, and his two daughters survived 12 hours in freezing conditions before being rescued by volunteers and the National Guard.

A Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser crashed into Tustumena Lake, Alaska, on March 23, 2025, during a sightseeing trip, stranding the pilot and his two daughters on the plane's wing for 12 hours in freezing temperatures.
Volunteer pilot Terry Godes located the wreckage on March 24 after seeing a social media plea, relaying its coordinates with the help of another pilot, Dale Eicher.
The Alaska Army National Guard rescued the survivors using a helicopter, and they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
The pilot, John Morris Jr., was a student pilot unauthorized to carry passengers and faces FAA disciplinary action for regulatory violations, including failing to report the crash within 24 hours.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, with the cause still undetermined, and the absence of a locator beacon noted as a complicating factor in the rescue.