Floatplane crash in Alaska

[haligonian37]

I just saw this on the national news a few minutes ago:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/07/25/alaska-crash.html

 

My sympathies go out to the families.

[eh2zed]

I just saw this on the national news a few minutes ago:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/07/25/alaska-crash.html

 

My sympathies go out to the families.

 

My sympathies as well. A reminder that there are risks involved but generally excursions are very safe.

[jhannah]

How very sad. I'm guessing that the mood aboard the Sun Princess today is quite somber.

 

Thoughts and prayers to the family members.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I read about it this morning. Very sad for everyone -- passengers and family at home.

[mamaofami]

That's so sad. What a tragic accident!

[sondrad]

OMG! That is so sad. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too feel extremely sad for the families and those also on the ship. They were only on the second day of their cruise, the Sun left with the Noordam out of Seattle on Sunday. I will admit I am now having second thoughts about an excursion I was going to book thru HAL in Ketchikan of going to Neets Bay via Floatplane:( Think I might keep my feet on the ground, oh ..... and the ship too.

[tomc]

There's no reason to fear excursions; these accidents are so rare.

[Jade13]

Five killed as Alaska sightseeing plane crashes

 

(CNN) -- Rescue authorities reported all five people aboard a small sightseeing plane were killed when it crashed in a mountainous area of southeast Alaska on Tuesday, a Princess Cruises spokeswoman said.

The five included the plane's pilot and four Sun Princess cruise ship passengers, who were on the second day of a weeklong, round-trip cruise from Seattle, Washington, spokeswoman Julie Benson said in a statement.

The pilot sent out a distress signal late Tuesday afternoon while on a planned tour of Misty Fjords National Monument, south of Juneau near Ketchikan, Alaska, according to Benson.

When the single-engine DeHavilland Beaver did not return, "rescue helicopters were dispatched to the location of the flight seeing route," Benson said. "These helicopters subsequently spotted the float plane which ... crashed in rugged terrain."

No additional information was immediately released, but Benson said the company was working closely with local authorities to investigate the circumstances of the crash.

Meanwhile, Princess Cruises has permanently canceled all excursions with the tour company Taquan Air, operator of the plane, Benson said.

"We are devastated to report that our passengers and the plane's pilot perished in the accident," Benson said. "Our shoreside care team is doing everything possible to help their families through this difficult tragedy, and we share in their grief."

 

The passengers were among 1,950 people aboard the Sun Princess.

 

Alaska State Trooper Jodi Williams identified the victims as pilot Joseph H. Campbell of Ketchikan and cruise ship passengers William F. Eddy and Jeanne J. Eddy of Jacksonville, Florida, and Marianne M. McManus and Paul J. McManus of Cherry Valley, Massachusetts.

[FlorenceItaly]

This is so sad. My heart breaks for the family and all those involved.

 

 

 

Marie

[mamaofami]

Lisa, I took a float plane from Ketchikan to Misty Fiords in Alaska and it was a wonderful ride. We landed in the water and went out on the poontoon and it was so peaceful and quiet. I also took the helicopter four glacier ride in Juneau and landed on the glacier and went dog sledding. I am not a risk taker, and know these accidents do occur, but they are very rare. However, this is certainly frightening and very sad for all involved.

[Robin7]

How very sad. We took a floatplane to Misty Fjords National Monument on our first Alaska cruise. It was beautiful but I got soooooooooo airsick.

 

It's weird but I have become increasingly afraid of flying as I grow older. My heart goes out to those poor people and their families, as well as the Princess passengers and crew. I know my mood would be subdued if something like that happened on one of our cruises. Just sad, sad, sad.

 

Robin

[BumperII]

Our hearts also go out to the families of the victims of this crash.

Air travel is still by far the safest way to do anything, and those De Haviland float planes are one of the finest and safest airframes ever built. Many of them are from the fifties and sixties, and were so well made that their market value is ten times what it was when they were new. This tragic event is a rare, rare, rare accident. We are heading up there next month for the fourth time since 2002, and this is the first time I've heard of a fatal accident on an Alaskan Cruise excursion. We all know that Murphy's law is still there: "If it is possible for something to go wrong, given a long enough period of time, it will."

Each year we have over 42,000 highway traffic crash deaths, but we still get in our cars and drive every day. And I suspect that after a while, folks will be back in the float planes, if for no other reason than that Alaska was meant to be seen from the air. If one hasn't taken a float plane or helicopter excursion, one still hasn't really seen Alaska.

Knowing all of that will not be much comfort to those who have lost their loved ones. This is a time to express our sympathy and extend our prayers for the surviving families.

[Tinknock50]

Our hearts also go out to the families of the victims of this crash.

 

Air travel is still by far the safest way to do anything, and those De Haviland float planes are one of the finest and safest airframes ever built. Many of them are from the fifties and sixties, and were so well made that their market value is ten times what it was when they were new. This tragic event is a rare, rare, rare accident. We are heading up there next month for the fourth time since 2002, and this is the first time I've heard of a fatal accident on an Alaskan Cruise excursion. We all know that Murphy's law is still there: "If it is possible for something to go wrong, given a long enough period of time, it will."

 

Each year we have over 42,000 highway traffic crash deaths, but we still get in our cars and drive every day. And I suspect that after a while, folks will be back in the float planes, if for no other reason than that Alaska was meant to be seen from the air. If one hasn't taken a float plane or helicopter excursion, one still hasn't really seen Alaska.

 

Knowing all of that will not be much comfort to those who have lost their loved ones. This is a time to express our sympathy and extend our prayers for the surviving families.

 

 

First....my deepest sympathies and prayers for those lost and their families.

 

Secondly I completely agree with the quoted post. Something to keep in mind....small floatplanes make up the major transportation system in Alaska because of the lack of roads and inaccesability of many places in Alaska. The number of flights a year must be staggering and yet you don't hear of that many crashes. I almost think you would be just as likely to have a mishap from your hometown to the start of your cruise, than you would anywhere up in Alaska.

 

Lisa,

I would go on your excursion....you will love it!

[Copper10-8]

Very sad!!:(

No need to stop flying the Alaska float planes, though. Accidents happen; mechanical, pilot error, bird strike, weather, we'll have to wait and see. Anybody who has been to Ak has seen the multitude of float planes that take off and land there. It still is the only way to get in and out certain locations. Accidents with them are rare, as they are with the helo flights in Ak, Hawaii and the Grand Canyon, but sometimes, unfortunately, they occur.

[Wild Thing ~T]

First let me say, my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the passengers and pilot. Very tragic and sad accident.

 

We have taken the Misty Fiords float plane trip in Ketchikan AWESOME! Also, the Taku Glacier Landing in Juneau, DOUBLE AWESOME!

Oh, we booked both independently. It worked well for us.

 

Lisa, I can not believe you have not done these excursions. It is so true, you have not seen Alaska until you see it from the air and land on a glacier.

 

I complained before we left at the price and guess who was the one with the biggest smile during the excursions. When I hear my DH playing the videos of the helicopter excursion I still come running to watch. We talked about those 2 excursions for months.

 

I agree accidents happen. I have been in 3 automobile accidents, but I still drive daily.

 

Come on Lisa, I would love to go again! I will go with you and Sean!

 

Again, my sincere condolences to the families involved. This was a tragic accident.

 

Teri

[advocado]

We took that VERY same plane on the same flight (1:30), just last month. Every time I get in any mechanical contrivance -- whether a plane, boat, or roller-coaster, I think momentarily of the risk. Why do you think we have mandatory lifeboat drills? To even consider not taking those risks (which are so small) would be to give up the adventure of life. It is a shame when it hits, though.

[Tinknock50]

We have taken the Misty Fiords float plane trip in Ketchikan AWESOME! Also, the Taku Glacier Landing in Juneau, DOUBLE AWESOME!

Oh, we booked both independently. It worked well for us.

 

Lisa, I can not believe you have not done these excursions. It is so true, you have not seen Alaska until you see it from the air and land on a glacier.

 

I complained before we left at the price and guess who was the one with the biggest smile during the excursions. When I hear my DH playing the videos of the helicopter excursion I still come running to watch. We talked about those 2 excursions for months.

 

 

Come on Lisa, I would love to go again! I will go with you and Sean!

 

 

 

Teri

 

I'm with ya Teri ! Now we just need to be on the same ship at the same time.:)

[MissWindyCity]

My heart skipped a beat when I read this sad news! Just thinking of how we were there less than 2 weeks ago. The mood on the Sun Princess must be awfully somber!

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the passengers that perished and also the fellow passengers on that cruise that must all be feeling really bad!

Can you imagine being at a dinner table with any of those passengers that didn't come back because they died on an excursion that day...Yikes!:(

[Tinknock50]

My heart skipped a beat when I read this sad news! Just thinking of how we were there less than 2 weeks ago. The mood on the Sun Princess must be awfully somber!

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the passengers that perished and also the fellow passengers on that cruise that must all be feeling really bad!

 

Can you imagine being at a dinner table with any of those passengers that didn't come back because they died on an excursion that day...Yikes!:(

 

Awful...awful......I also think of the person that has to notify the family. What a hard task that must be.

[Chivalrygirl]

Just so sad, but like has been said previous accidents do happen. I did the Misty Fjord trip all on my own last September, it was the most amazing experience. Must admit was relieved once back on terra firma, but so happy I found the nerve to do it. Lisa don't give up the opportunity, you will just enjoy so much, Neet Bay isn't that where you go to see bears also?

 

Val

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just so sad, but like has been said previous accidents do happen. I did the Misty Fjord trip all on my own last September, it was the most amazing experience. Must admit was relieved once back on terra firma, but so happy I found the nerve to do it. Lisa don't give up the opportunity, you will just enjoy so much, Neet Bay isn't that where you go to see bears also?

 

Val

 

Val, Yes, Neets Bay is where you go to view the Bears but.... in all honesty it is not just the accident today. As much as I really want to do this I am also a bit worried about motion sickness. Over the years I now do fine on the ship but plane rides can still cause me to feel ill and I really am worried about getting motion sick in a small plane. I just wish there was another way to get there rather than by float plane. I would rather go by boat. We are actually talking about doing the boat both ways to Misty Fjords but then again I may say the heck with it and fly to the bears:D

[Chivalrygirl]

Hey kid

 

Just don't miss them bears, you do it for me, and send me the pics. That would have been my first choice, it was just too expensive at the time with the kiwi at 61cents.

 

Please please, LIsa, just fulfil another one of my dreams. By the way I don't recall any motion in the floatplane trip to Misty Fjord. I think I was in a plane with about 12 of us. One man was with this son and daughter, daughter was over from UK, he was, wait for it ........ only a mere 95 years old. :D :D So just you go and be a "Devil"

 

Val

[mamaofami]

Lisa, I recall the float plane beng a very smooth ride. One good thing about the pilots in Alaska. When we did the b2b, we took the helicopter out of Juneau on the way up. On the way back, it was raining ever so slighly and the canceled the trip.

[HokiePoq]

OMG. Went on that excursion in June. HAL used another company, however.