Frequently Asked Questions

Details of plane crash involving Jim Arrabito?
I am often asked the circumstances of the plane crash that took the life of Jim and our boys, Tony and Joey.  Let me explain, as best we know from local weather reports and the investigation by the FAA and the NTSB (National Transportation and Safety Board).
 
The plane left Kotzebue, Alaska, with a native pilot on a Sunday afternoon, heading for Anchorage. It refueled in Gambel, where they heard storm warnings ahead.  Since storms can blow in and out quickly in Alaska, they headed out, hoping it would be over by the time they arrived in the area. However, as they neared Anchorage, they were met by a low cloud ceiling, wind and rain.  A terrible storm, according to the locals.  Their filed flight plan brought them into Anchorage over the valley.  Evidently the pilot attempted to stay by that plan, perhaps hoping to fly below the clouds.  It appears that they were blown off course, toward the Talkeetna Mountains, but didn’t realize it.

The last radio contact with the plane was about 11:45 P.M. from about 70 miles out of Anchorage. The pilot asked for IFR clearance, evidently intending to go to a higher elevation in order to get above the storm. The plane went down within 5 or 10 minutes of that contact.

The plane hit a steep, rocky area in the Talkeetna Mountains. A fire devoured a good portion of the plane, and the impact scattered pieces of metal and debris over a wide area.  Outside of a miracle, there was no chance of survival for the people inside.  The weather continued through Monday, but on  Tuesday afternoon SDA Pastor and pilot Jim Kincaid, who was leading the search and rescue effort, located the ELT signal and followed it to the wreckage.  Search and Rescue took a helicopter in and brought the bodies out without landing, due to continued terrible weather conditions.

The final Report from the NTSB investigation lists as the cause, “bad weather and pilot error.”  There is absolutely no evidence of foul play, and I would not want to give credit where it is not due, or to make it appear that our God is not able to protect His own from the power of the enemy. Why He allowed it, I do not know. But He did allow it. Our God is well able to save His own; He could have intervened; He did not.  For them, Eternity is sure. For us? Well, we still have a battle to fight and win.  

Pat Arrabito
President
LLT Productions