Wasilla man rescued after crashing plane

near Knik Glacier

By JOEL DAVIDSON-Frontiersman reporter\-

WASILLA -- A 65-year-old Wasilla man was sightseeing with his dog over Knik Glacier Wednesday when a sudden down draft blew his 1947 Piper Cub into a gravel bar near the Knik River, according to a release from the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Robert Hills said he "tweaked" his back in the landing but the worst of his injuries came after he landed. As Hills set up survival equipment, a gust of wind flipped his plane over and pinned him under the wing.

"My elbow went out when the plane flipped over on me," Hill said.

The Rescue Coordination Center on Fort Richardson received a report of an emergency-locator beacon signal near Lake George by Knik Glacier and a search aircraft and crew from the Civil Air Patrol spotted the yellow wing of Hill's upside-down plane in the canyon just south of the glacier.

Pararescuers from the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th Rescue Squadron were on a routine training mission near Prince William Sound when they received the call to change their plans and head for the downed plane.

According to Master Sgt. Paul Barendregt, Hill was surprised and relieved to see him and Senior Airman Zack Marchun when they arrived to rescue him.

"He was in good physical condition and had already started setting up his survival stuff, preparing for the worst," Barendregt said in the state's release. "This was a pretty cut-and-dry rescue, they aren't always like that."

Hill and his dog were flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center and later released. Hill said his plane was removed from the gravel bar by a helicopter.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.