Pilot, Two Children Survive 12-Hour Ordeal on Crash-Sunken Wing in Alaska Lake

A pilot and his two young daughters survived a plane crash on a frozen lake in Alaska by spending approximately 12 hours on the wing of their partially submerged Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser. The trio was rescued after being spotted by Terry Godes, a volunteer pilot who joined the search after seeing a call for help on Facebook. Despite the freezing temperatures, Godes was relieved to find them alive and responsive, prompting him to alert other pilots and authorities. The Alaska Army National Guard successfully rescued the family, with the pilot suffering from hypothermia but none of the occupants sustaining life-threatening injuries. The incident unfolded during a sightseeing tour from Soldotna to Skilak Lake, and while the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, the survivors' ability to remain atop the wing was described as a 'miracle'. Rescuers noted that the plane's tail had refrozen, preventing it from sinking further into the icy water.