June 26, 2002
Wednesday - 1:05 pm

JUNEAU, Alaska - A Coast Guard helicopter crew safely guided an aircraft pilot and his five passengers to a safe landing, on a Kupreanof Island beach 25-miles northwest of

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Brian Young, a medic with Glacier Valley Fire and Rescue, treats an unidentified injured man who sustained injuries as a passenger aboard an LAB Airlines aircraft afterthe pilot made an emergency landing on Kupreanof Island about 25-miles northwest of Petersburg Tuesday.  A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew guided the pilot to a safe landing on a sand bar, because the pilot's aircraft window became covered in oil and obstructed his vision.  (Official U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Roger W. Wetherell)

Petersburg Tuesday.

The Sitka based helicopter crew heard a radio distress call at 11:52 a.m. from LAB pilot Allen Tvergyak.

"We were flying in the Fredrick Sound area when we heard a guy calling mayday on the aircraft emergency channel," said Coast Guard pilot Cdr. James Manning. "We established communications with him, and discovered we were only 20-miles away."

The helicopter crew joined the LAB plane, circling over Kupreanof Island, to offer assistance.

According to Manning the cowling from the plane came off and oil from the engine covered the front of the airplane preventing the pilot from seeing through the windshield.

"He (Tvergyak) had to look out his side windows to see where he was going," said Manning.

Low visibility and rainy weather prevented the plane from landing in Kake about 15-miles away.

"We stayed with him, circling, " said Manning. "We pointed out what we thought was the

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Coast Guard Cmdr., helicopter pilot James Manning from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka (at right), comforts an LAB Airlines passenger as they watch medics administer first aid to one of the six people from the plane after an emergency landing on Kupreanof Island about 25-miles northwest of Petersburg Tuesday.  A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew guided the pilot to a safe landing on a sand bar, because the pilot's aircraft window became covered in oil and obstructed his vision.  The Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued the pilot and his passengers and transported them to the Juneau International Airport.  (Official U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Roger W. Wetherell)

best area for him to make an off-airport landing. We got right next to him and flew down with him and had to basically talk him down to the ground. We told him his altitude, 'to come a little left, to come a little right, level your wings, your at 50-feet, 30, 20, and he did a great controlled landing on a little sand bar."

Once the LAB airplane safely landed, the helicopter crew rescued each of the people on board and transported them to awaiting emergency medical teams at Juneau's International Airport.

At the airport, the helicopter crew and several Glacier Valley Fire Department emergency medical technicians administered first aid to the pilot and his non-English speaking passengers. Ambulance crews to the survivors to for Bartlett Regional Hospital.

The extent of the injuries included mostly wrenched necks requiring "C" collars and minor back injuries that rescuers treated by placing the injured on backboards.

"There doesn't appear to be any serious injuries. Everybody was ambulatory," said Manning. "We were just thankful they were all able to walk away from it.

Source of News Release & Digital Photos:

United States Coast Guard
Web Site

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