Mail/bushplanes dangers

[Markopolo]

Looks like mail will be even more problematic for quite a while. Condolences out the the family members of all the folks killed in the last 8 days by float plane accidents by our contract mail carrier, Taquan Air. That is the 4th Taquon plane in the last 12 months, with the last 3 being very recent. Same plane that crashed yesterday, clipped my friends Pickup at our boat dock with its wing, splitting the roof of the truck. No real damage to the wing was noted. Next day the plane crashed...
https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Float-plane-crash-reported-near-Metlakatla-Coast-Guard-responding-510192071.html

Alaska is a tuff place to be a pilot.. week before there was a mid air collision between Taquan Air float plane, and a smaller Taquon beaver in the channel leading into Ketchikan with more fatalities.. not sure what is going on, but it has been a tuff year for float planes in our neck of the woods

Marko

[Bazoo]

I seen it on the news the other day. Sad for the families and friends left.

[popper]

New hinted that a filed flight plan would stop the problem. Reporters are dumb.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Heard about this, the other morning. I hate hearing that kind of news as I work in aviation. Lot of aviation accidents in the spotlight since the 737 Max hit the news.

I don't know what your friends truck top is made of but unless it is fabric, it should have been strong enough the Beaver had likely to have been damaged. Those wings aren't all that tough. Its made to handle aerodynamic load, not physical impact. Even if it appears fine on the outside it could have compromised the internal structure or torque box. We have a Piper Aztek in our piston shop that bellyed in from a gear failure. The pilot killed the engines after he got near the ground but one windmilled and drug a prop tip very lightly but that engine MUST by the regs, be torn down completely and inspected since a "sudden stoppage" occurred and damage might have occurred that is undetectable by eye. Same scrutiny is needed with airframe systems. What might appear fine on the outside can hide damage inside.

There is no breakdown lane in the sky folks...

Godspeed to those that lost their lives.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

WOW. That's scary

[lightman]

Alaska is a beautiful place but is very unforgiving to pilots. Prayers offered for those folks and their families.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm always amazed that Alaskan pilots and air carriers are able to make a profit. The work is often dangerous, the weather can suck at times, the equipment is expensive, a lot of skill is needed both on and off the ground and the operating costs are huge.

Despite all of difficulties, people still find a away to make a go of it.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Flying up there and other northern territories is in a way an expert pilots right of passage. You dont fly in places like that and get by on luck. You have to be on your A game flying that kind of territory.

[Markopolo]

One of the pilots killed flew my mother up here about a year ago.. mom took pics and always talked about her friend the pilot. She was very sad.... but the pilots dies doing things that they loved.. dies with their boots on.. not sure about the passengers. Our days are numbered. Did I mention I love serving the Father.

[Echo]

I remember the first time I flew into Anchorage. More DC-6's than I knew existed. More Super Cubs than I knew existed, many on floats, others with huge tires. Then immediately off post was the Great Alaska Bush Club...

[Markopolo]

LMBO at the Bush club comment.. boots were optional 20 years ago when last I was there.. first time I was there was 1983.. I am sure, like anchorage, much has changed.. probably require boots now.