Family of four survives fatal plane crash in Alaska
August 17, 2011, 10:05 am
This weekend, a tragic airplane crash in Alaska saw the pilot and a passenger lose their lives. It could have been much worse, however, as an onboard family of four survived the accident, the Alaska Dispatch reports.
The single-engine plane took off from McGrath Airport, roughly 225 miles northwest of Anchorage, and was headed for the Yukon River village of Anvik. Shortly before 10 pm on Saturday evening, Alaska State Troopers alerted the Air National Guard that the plane was overdue. According to the source, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received a signal from the plane's emergency locator transmitter around the same time.
The Air National Guard launched a search and rescue effort immediately, but poor weather and low clouds prevented them from locating the crash site until mid-morning on Sunday. Ernest Chase, the 66-year-old pilot and Julia Walker, an Anvik school teacher, were killed in the crash. Don and Rosemary Evans survived, along with their two young children, Donny and McKenzie.
There were 1,384 general aviation accidents in 2010, a decrease from the 1,474 in 2009, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Fatalities resulting from crashes were also down, from 474 to 453. Life insurance for pilots can provide financial protection for families in the event of an accident.
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