Anchorage pilot survives plane crash near glacier

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers say a 47-year-old Anchorage man walked away unhurt when his plane crashed near the Matanuska Glacier Saturday.

According to a press statement, troopers got word of a locator beacon active near Boulder Creek at 3:28 p.m. Less than an hour later troopers launched their helicopter.

Troopers were able to confirm that Jeff Johnson, the beacon’s owner, had been planning to fly near the Matanuska Glacier.

At 5:42 p.m., Johnson, the plane’s pilot, called troopers from his cell phone to say he’d crashed but was fine. He’d gotten a ride out to the road after flagging down some passing snowmachiners.

Troopers say they continued out to the crash site to take photos and confirm the coordinates the beacon gave off were the correct ones.

According to the press statement, Johnson called again at 9:30 p.m. to say he’d gotten home safe.

Troopers rescue snowmachiner

TALKEETNA — A snowmachiner who ran out of gas last week got a ride back to Deshka Landing in a trooper helicopter.

According to a trooper press statement, Thomas Abbe, 52, of Wasilla, was reported overdue at 7:27 a.m. Thursday. Troopers say he’d been heading up the Yentna River to look at some property he’d recently purchased.

Troopers were able to confirm that sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. the day before Abbe had stopped at Yentna Station. He forgot to get gas before leaving and missed his turn on the trail to head up the Susitna River, troopers report.

Several miles south of the Susitna, Abbe ran out of gas, according to the press statement. A trooper helicopter found him there, unhurt and still with his snowmachine.

Man turns over

bag of drugs

WASILLA — Wasilla Police say a man came into the station Thursday and handed over a grocery bag’s worth of prescription medications.

According to a police press statement, the man told officers he’d found the sack of drugs in the snow on Catalina Drive. He’d talked to several of his neighbors but no one knew where the mystery bag came from.

Police describe the sack as “a grocery-size bag full of prescription drugs, including a wide variety of controlled substances.”

Police say they’re storing the drugs in evidence until they can properly dispose of them.