An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 27, 2022

Arctic Guardians Rescue Plane Crash Victim at Totek Lake

By David Bedard, 176th Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued a plane crash victim Oct. 25 at Totek Lake, about 75 miles southwest of Fairbanks.

A pilot flying overhead received a distress call from the crashed Taylorcraft single-engine aircraft and reported it to Fairbanks Approach, which relayed the message to Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center. The center contacted the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at JBER.

At the request of the AKRCC, the 176th Wing launched a 210th Rescue Squadron Detachment 1 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from Eielson Air Force Base with 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen (PJs) onboard.

The HH-60 crew located the pilot and single occupant near the aircraft, which had broken through ice upon landing, by homing in on the pilot’s emergency signal light. The Pave Hawk landed, and the PJs assisted the hypothermic but uninjured pilot to the helicopter.

The Pave Hawk crew transported the pilot to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

Alaska Air National Guard Capt. Seth Peterson, AKRCC senior mission controller, said the state’s network of pilots often helps find and report aircraft occupants in distress.

“He affected his own rescue by reaching out on his radio to an aircraft flying overhead,” he said.

The RCC also reminds pilots that even if their emergency locator transmitter is not automatically activated by an incident, manually activating the ELT can help to expedite rescue.

For the mission, 210th RQS, 212th RQS and the AKRCC received credit for one save.
 

 

 

Related Articles
A 168th Wing KC-135 Stratotanker launches rapid air refueling operations during Arctic Raven 25-1 in support of Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise. Operating in austere and challenging environments, the 168th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, provides critical air refueling support for the multilateral training exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces. REFORPAC 25 is the Air Force's largest crisis response exercise to date in the Pacific, designed to deliver rapid, scalable capabilities across the INDOPACOM region and demonstrate agile combat employment (ACE) command and control.
Alaska Air Guard Powers Global Air Refueling in Pacific Exercise
By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey, | Aug. 4, 2025
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – Exercising at speed and scale and providing operational readiness to U.S. and allied partners, the 168th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard will execute global reach air refueling during...

Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk aviators and Guardian Angels, assigned to the 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons, respectively, conduct a hoist rescue demonstration while participating in a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 22, 2025.
Alaska Air Guard Rescues Climber Trapped on Cliff
By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount, | July 28, 2025
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Members of the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing rescued a climber who was trapped and unable to climb down a steep cliff July 27 near Seward.The Alaska Rescue Coordination...

Airmen from the 168th Wing Medical Group, along with their counterparts from other Air National Guard units, conduct radiation monitoring during field training at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan, June 2025. The training enhances the unit’s ability to detect and respond to radiological threats in deployed or contingency environments.
Alaska Air Guard 168th Medical Group Trains for High-Stakes Missions
By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey, | July 7, 2025
ALPENA COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTER, Mich. — The Alaska Air National Guard 168th Wing Medical Group continues to strengthen its operational edge, proving lethality in today’s battlespace isn’t just about combat power -...