It's been a bad year for small planes in Alaska.

[Arctic Dave]

One person killed in small plane crash southeast of McGrath

One person was killed and another injured when a small plane crashed at a remote landing strip southeast of McGrath, according to the Alaska State Troopers and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Alaska State Troopers were notified shortly before 9 p.m. Friday that a plane had crashed and burned at the Tatitna landing strip, said troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.

The strip is west of Rainy Pass and about 70 miles southeast of McGrath. It's near the Rohn Roadhouse, a checkpoint in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/08/31/3052695/one-person-killed-in-small-plane.html#storylink=cpy


This is the third one in less then a two week.

[uppityperson]

1. Aw dang. Are they private planes or commercial? that is too bad.

[Arctic Dave]

2. All but one was a private plane.

The one that wasn't was on a flightseeing trip with a family from down south.

I went to school with the pilot in that crash.

[longship]

3. Do they even make the Beaver anymore?

I flew in one in the late 60's up into the Albany River wilderness area (flows into James Bay). A nice plane. This one had no seats except for the pilot. One sat on ones gear and hung on.

Camped for a couple weeks of fishing. Had a great time but the beer ran out.

The guy picked us up right on the minute, as scheduled. Amazing experience.

The Dehaviland Beaver is an awesome little plane.

Just checked: stopped making the Beaver in 1967. Many still flying.

[Arctic Dave]

4. The Beaver and the Otter are the work horses of the bush.

They are pretty common sight in Alaska.

[longship]

6. That's what I thought.

They have to keep the airframes and engines in good shape. Wiki says engine parts are difficult to find. My rides on a Beaver were very impressive. It was a very stable ride in spite of low altitude and rain storms in the area. As I said, we sat on our gear.

Flew out of Nakina, Ontario. Just the drive there from Detroit was quite entertaining. Just about as far north one could drive by car in Ontario at that time (if one ignores Pickle Crow).

God that was over forty years ago.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. The Beaver was also very loud...

Perhaps our Beaver (at Seneca Falls Airport - used for skydiver deployment) had issues, but MAN, it was deafening!!

That said, a VERY rugged aircraft.

[Arctic Dave]

7. They are a loud plane no doubt about it.

Once they get up speed they aren't too bad but take off is deafening.

[Cooley Hurd]

8. Wasp Jr's were just plain loud...