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Anchorage Alaska
Craig Elg when he owned Regal air at Lake Hood was taking a trapper in his 185 to upper Russian Lake shortly before Christmas several years ago.
The trapper was to use a forest service cabin there.
Craig was concerned about overflow so he made two parallel passes in front of the cabin. No overflow was showing so he landed between the two previous tracks an stopped near the cabin.
He and the passenger were outside discussing where to unload his gear when Craig noticed some overflow showing under the 185.
He got in to move it and as soon as he hit the starter it broke through the ice and fell to the wings.
He said he wasn’t sure if he was going to get out as he could barely open the door due to the ice jamming it.
As I recall he said he had to push/kick it open with his legs and barely squeezed out.
His only route to the surface was through the holes left in the ice by the ski tips.
Craig was wearing Carhart insulated coveralls and of course soaked. All of their gear was now under water.
He and his passenger got into the cabin which had some firewood but no way to light a fire.
Craig said that fortunately for years he had carried a small flint on his key chain;and was able to use it and his pocket knife to get a spark enough to ignite a flame.
Without that they would have been in deep trouble as he was already becoming hypothermic.
I don’t recall who rescued them but it was within a couple of days.
The 185 was turned over to the insurance company and was retrieved by a third party hired by them. They waited for the ice to thicken and went in with snow machines to get it out.
Craig said that they used chainsaws and axes to break the ice free at the engine and fuselage.
They then jacked the tail up high enough to pull it over on its back with the snow machines.
When it fell over the vertical fin and rudder took a beating.
They then proceeded to drag it backwards on its back, away from the hole. Somehow later it was turned back on its feet ( I think with the helicopter) and sling lifted back to Lake Hood.
Craig bought the salvage back and eventually restored it. Lots of damage was done during the retrieval; with lots of bent metal ,dents, and axe marks.
Got to help him with the repairs and reassembly. It served him well until he sold out and left Alaska.
Sure miss Craig! Gone west way too soon.
The trapper was to use a forest service cabin there.
Craig was concerned about overflow so he made two parallel passes in front of the cabin. No overflow was showing so he landed between the two previous tracks an stopped near the cabin.
He and the passenger were outside discussing where to unload his gear when Craig noticed some overflow showing under the 185.
He got in to move it and as soon as he hit the starter it broke through the ice and fell to the wings.
He said he wasn’t sure if he was going to get out as he could barely open the door due to the ice jamming it.
As I recall he said he had to push/kick it open with his legs and barely squeezed out.
His only route to the surface was through the holes left in the ice by the ski tips.
Craig was wearing Carhart insulated coveralls and of course soaked. All of their gear was now under water.
He and his passenger got into the cabin which had some firewood but no way to light a fire.
Craig said that fortunately for years he had carried a small flint on his key chain;and was able to use it and his pocket knife to get a spark enough to ignite a flame.
Without that they would have been in deep trouble as he was already becoming hypothermic.
I don’t recall who rescued them but it was within a couple of days.
The 185 was turned over to the insurance company and was retrieved by a third party hired by them. They waited for the ice to thicken and went in with snow machines to get it out.
Craig said that they used chainsaws and axes to break the ice free at the engine and fuselage.
They then jacked the tail up high enough to pull it over on its back with the snow machines.
When it fell over the vertical fin and rudder took a beating.
They then proceeded to drag it backwards on its back, away from the hole. Somehow later it was turned back on its feet ( I think with the helicopter) and sling lifted back to Lake Hood.
Craig bought the salvage back and eventually restored it. Lots of damage was done during the retrieval; with lots of bent metal ,dents, and axe marks.
Got to help him with the repairs and reassembly. It served him well until he sold out and left Alaska.
Sure miss Craig! Gone west way too soon.