Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Plane crash near Unalakleet

A well known local pilot was ferrying bear hunters back this morning and his plane went down on takeoff from camp. Neither the pilot or the passenger survived the crash. The crash was witnessed by a guide. With everything happening earlier today, no additional information is available as to the cause. The pilot was a friend of mine.

That’s awful. I’ve had a chance to meet him and get to know a couple of the kids over the years. Super nice people. Damn sorry to hear this. Condolences.

Godspeed to both.

Hate hearing stuff like this. Sorry you lost a friend. Hope the families of the victims get thru this the best they can.

Very sorry to read this.
I only know him from the TV show, but he seemed like a great guy.
Prayers for the family.

10 years ago Jim drop me and a friend off for a once in lifetime float hunt. This breaks my heart. God rest his soul and God bless his family.

He was the first one I thought of….I’m so terribly sorry to see this! My prayers for his loving family and wide network of friends.

If it can happen to him….he was an exceptional pilot!

I hate to hear about that. I really enjoyed the show and it’s hard to think about it happening to someone experienced like him.

Very sorry to hear of this. Much sympathy goes to all of you that knew the pilot….and to the families of the pilot and the hunter! memtb

Very sad deal.

I did not know Jim but like most folks that are exposed to AK aviation I’ve certainly heard of him and his great reputation as a pilot and person in general.

I haven’t heard who the guide was yet but have my suspicions.

Thoughts and sympathy to the families.

Shane Reynolds is who the ADN reports.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/avi...rted-dead-in-western-alaska-plane-crash/

Losing Jim leaves a huge void in the region in so many ways. A great pilot with a big heart who put helping above the money he might have made. Always a friendly greeting, often a question about family members or a greeting to pass along. Denial is the device that helps us avoid facing these potentialities. He was one of only a couple pilots who I trusted in some of the crazy weather the area gets.

Really sad

Jim was a great guy! Just looking from afar, the engine maybe wasn’t producing rated horsepower or a wind/downdraft event. Hate to lose a good person/pilot like that…it can happen to anyone though.

The area and terrain where he was flying is apparently known for some wild winds, and they may have been heavy as it sounds like they were moving a camp out and could only take one passenger.

Very sad to hear this. Condolences to their families and friends.

Many years ago my younger brother was getting his pilot’s license and since I was the one that loved the outdoors I was thinking about getting my pilots license. My brother solo’d and got his pilot’s license at 15 and has been flying since. When I was seriously considering it I knew that Alaska was where I’d eventually end up but I also knew that Alaska isn’t like flying down here. Alaska flying took a “different type of pilot” and required an attention to “detail” that I don’t possess. It also requires intimate knowledge of the potential regional differences and the weather anomalies that are “specific” to the area which I also didn’t possess. Long ago I came to the conclusion that the money I’d spend on getting my license, insurance, tie-down fees, maintenance and the actual aircraft itself I’d be way ahead if I just paid an experienced professional pilot to fly me wherever I wanted to go.

My respect for the old Alaska bush pilots is as great as my respect for anyone in any profession anywhere! I’ve never regretted my decision to not get my pilot’s license but I would enjoy that amount of freedom. When I see the best of the best….Men like Jim Tweto…lose their lives doing what comes second nature to them, I think I made a good decision.

Talking to my wife earlier about this we both can’t believe that it happened and we’re both heartbroken for his beautiful family and the people and communities he served. He had such a wide circle of people that loved him (and his family) and he was such an important person that gave so much back to everyone that this loss will hurt for a long time to come! He won’t be forgotten and he isn’t someone that can be replaced….

Your brother must be old if he got his private at 15
It's been 17 for many decades

A great man has died too young.
He was my age and I deserve to be alive when he is not ?
Didn't the "reality show" fake Jim's retirement at the end of the third season ?
Then he was able to shake off the Hollywood hangers-on and get back to doing what he loved, business as usual.
Doing good.
RIP Jim Tweto.

Rip. Terrible