It was just past five yesterday evening when I got a phone call was from the FAA Regional Operations Center in Anchorage, asking me if I was aware of the plane crash at Kodiak.
Of course I wasn't. Kodiak is well outside of our service area. Unless it happens right in front of us, we usually learn of aircraft accidents the same as everyone else--on the news.
But it turns out this aircraft was just airborne off of the Kodiak Airport for Homer when it experienced some sort of problem and tried to return to the field. The plane ended up about one hundred yards short of the field in the water. Of the ten people on board, only four survived.
The aircraft flies in and out of here often enough that I recognized the call-sign. I had seen it on the contact list when I came on duty. It had already made one round-trip from Kodiak to Homer before it took off on its final flight.
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This information was on-line this morning:
Anchorage Daily News
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I recognized the pilot from his photo in the newspaper article. He had spent some time at the station over the summer, checking the weather at Kodiak--because the Kodiak weather is always crappy in the summer. He seemed like a real nice person and a very competent pilot. I am sure his lost will sadden many.
I didn't know any of the passengers, as the Old Believers tend to keep to themselves, but the names are very recognizable, being old Homer-area families. What a tragedy for all of them and what a sad Christmas this year brings.
Of course I wasn't. Kodiak is well outside of our service area. Unless it happens right in front of us, we usually learn of aircraft accidents the same as everyone else--on the news.
But it turns out this aircraft was just airborne off of the Kodiak Airport for Homer when it experienced some sort of problem and tried to return to the field. The plane ended up about one hundred yards short of the field in the water. Of the ten people on board, only four survived.
The aircraft flies in and out of here often enough that I recognized the call-sign. I had seen it on the contact list when I came on duty. It had already made one round-trip from Kodiak to Homer before it took off on its final flight.
*~*~*~*
This information was on-line this morning:
Anchorage Daily News
*~*~*~*~*
I recognized the pilot from his photo in the newspaper article. He had spent some time at the station over the summer, checking the weather at Kodiak--because the Kodiak weather is always crappy in the summer. He seemed like a real nice person and a very competent pilot. I am sure his lost will sadden many.
I didn't know any of the passengers, as the Old Believers tend to keep to themselves, but the names are very recognizable, being old Homer-area families. What a tragedy for all of them and what a sad Christmas this year brings.
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