Concerns Southeast Aviation safety?

[stiej]

We booked Southeast Aviation for our Misty Fjords Flightseeing in June. However, I just read they had a plane crash in March. Should we have concerns about Southeast Aviations safety? Thanks!

[mytime53]

From the initial State Trooper report and the NTSB report, it appears that heavy snow and zero visibility overtook them shortly after takeoff. The weather report didn't show the conditions as being as bad as they actually were. I wouldn't worry about flying with them.

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120314X70339&key=1

[Cruiser304958]

The vast majority of plane crashes in Alaska are in remote areas, not in the summer and/or involve private pilots. This crash involved a plane getting into unforeseen white-out (zero visibility) conditions. Unfortunately the NTSB database at http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/index.aspx can't be searched by operator (though it claims to have that ability), but I'd have no issue flying with Southeast. The FAA has been quick to act when Alaska operators have had a bad safety record.

[Rocky252]

My family took an Alaskan cruise in August of 2007. One of the shore excursions I considered at the time was a seaplane charter. I called one, which I won't identify by name because it's not important, but they were booked that week, and we eventually ended up doing sea kayaks instead.

 

A week or two after we returned home, I read a news story that the charter I had contacted had crashed. An entire family died, including two children who had spent weeks in a hospital with severe burns. I know that statistically flying in general is much safer than driving or a lot of other daily activities we do routinely without thinking, but all I can think about is that there, but for the grace of God go I.

[jeaniem]

Food for thought---my father in law was a pilot with over 30,000 hours in small planes and jets. He impressed upon all his children to never get in an airplane unless the pilot has at least 1000 hours and a commercial license. Many of the small plane pilots during the summer in Alaska are fairly new. Most small plane accidents are with the pilots with under a 1000 hours. I would never hesitate to ask a pilot with whom I am intrusting my life how many hours they have. Less than a thousand I would probably not go

[Putterdude]

Food for thought---my father in law was a pilot with over 30,000 hours in small planes and jets. He impressed upon all his children to never get in an airplane unless the pilot has at least 1000 hours and a commercial license. Many of the small plane pilots during the summer in Alaska are fairly new. Most small plane accidents are with the pilots with under a 1000 hours. I would never hesitate to ask a pilot with whom I am intrusting my life how many hours they have. Less than a thousand I would probably not go

 

You raise an excellent point, many young pilots who are flying small aircraft for small airlines are doing so for minimal pay in order to accumulate hours and go on to the bigs.

[klmorg]

oops... wrong post

[PennyAgain]

You raise an excellent point, many young pilots who are flying small aircraft for small airlines are doing so for minimal pay in order to accumulate hours and go on to the bigs.

 

I prefer pilots with a great deal of experience, but not the same experience over and over again.

[paylady]

When we flew with Southeast Aviation in '08, I asked the pilot how long he'd been flying. He used to fly for American Airlines, so I'd say he had plenty of miles. :)

[stiej]

We ended up cancelling. They were not being good returning emails and communicating, that paired with the recent crash, I just felt better about cancelling it. We tried to book with Michelle who seems to have a lot of hours and a great track record and she was full. So, we ended up booking the deadliest catch.