The Second Plane Crash in a Week at Rainy Pass Leaves Two With Minor Injuries

On Tuesday afternoon, State Troopers at the Talkeetna Post received a call from a witness who observed a Super Cub crash at Rainy Pass Near Ptarmigan Valley.  Troopers say the witness reported using a spotting scope to observe two passengers getting out of the plane.  Troopers then called the Rescue Coordination Center.

According to the RCC, a Pave Hawk Helicopter and HC-130 rescue plane were dispatched from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to search for the survivors.  Captain Jeremy Brewer of the RCC says in a press release that the survivors were found shortly after six P-M, and were talking to State Troopers via satellite phone.  Both men, identified by Troopers as pilot Cole Hawkins of Chugiak and passenger Richard Novotny of Wasilla, sustained minor injuries in the crash.  Captain Brewer says that the RCC personnel brought the men to Providence Alaska Medical Center as a precautionary measure.

This marks the second crash near Rainy Pass in less than a week.  Troopers say that last Friday, Scot Mueller of Big Lake was killed when his Super Cub crashed near the Tatina air strip.