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Jim Tweto Killed in Bush Plane Crash

sierra2

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 23, 2009
210
231
52
Central MO, USA
I hate to see this. Flying Wild Alaska was one of only about two “reality” shows I ever cared to watch. RIP, aviator!
 
I hate to see this. Flying Wild Alaska was one of only about two “reality” shows I ever cared to watch. RIP, aviator!
Almost all the old time pilots I have known either get out of flying very much or end up like Jim. Better than dying on the couch I guess. What goes through his thought process when he sees the ground coming up for the last time?
 
Alright, I’m speaking up on this one, though I am a bit surprised to see this on here. I knew the guy, his wife, and daughters. Though not well in recent years. He gave me my first flying job up here in AK. I worked for the company for 4 years, and for years afterwards, would wonder over and say Hi whenever I was in UNK. Jim taught me, and dozens of others, much of what we know about flying little airplanes in the bush. He would have us lowly pilots over for family dinner every night we were in ”town”. Hell of a guy, we lost a good one… As well has the guide with him, though I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing the guy, friends of mine do. The respective communities are hurting right now.

As far as the armchair quarterbacking I’m sure will come. You.don’t.know.shit. Also, fuck you. Until the investigation comes out, even the reports I have from other pilots in the area at the time, paint an inaccurate picture at best. Off airport operations is an art, more akin to the barnstormers of the 1920’s & 30’s, not the science of a certified airport. Paved, gravel, or otherwise. Unless you’ve done it, it’s hard to understand.
 
Alright, I’m speaking up on this one, though I am a bit surprised to see this on here. I knew the guy, his wife, and daughters. Though not well in recent years. He gave me my first flying job up here in AK. I worked for the company for 4 years, and for years afterwards, would wonder over and say Hi whenever I was in UNK. Jim taught me, and dozens of others, much of what we know about flying little airplanes in the bush. He would have us lowly pilots over for family dinner every night we were in ”town”. Hell of a guy, we lost a good one… As well has the guide with him, though I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing the guy, friends of mine do. The respective communities are hurting right now.

As far as the armchair quarterbacking I’m sure will come. You.don’t.know.shit. Also, fuck you. Until the investigation comes out, even the reports I have from other pilots in the area at the time, paint an inaccurate picture at best. Off airport operations is an art, more akin to the barnstormers of the 1920’s & 30’s, not the science of a certified airport. Paved, gravel, or otherwise. Unless you’ve done it, it’s hard to understand.
Understand your grief but do you make such appeals to everything commented on in here? This is the internet not the hanger coffee shop.

No matter the tragedy it gets commented on and shit on by us who have no knowledge of the details. I personally enjoy the humor while understanding there are people that actually know the people involved- they just typically are not here.

Save the fuck yous and perhaps provide the deets.

Rather than being pious in the den of depravity speak to us of “Hey guys a bad load of fuel” “ A faulty magneto” “sudden freak weather low”

I enjoy my free speech even if disgusting. You should see what’s said when you get eaten by a tiger shark….
 
I grew up in NW BC next to a float plane lake. They also flew off the river in front of my house. I’ve also flown a lot in the NT. Pilots crash and die semi regularly in my experience. Almost every time, it’s a fuck up that kills them. Obviously they don’t expect it to happen, and try to avoid it, but the funerals don’t lie. It’s sad. Bull riders get hurt bad too. Some things are higher risk. Off airport ops are that way.
 
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Flew with my Dad until he was into his late 70's usually a Cessna 180. Had few not emergencies, just corrections as my Dad called them.
He was a crew chief on B17's in the South Pacific. Carburetor icing was the suck correction, loss of power etc. RIP
flight crew.
 
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Damn. One of my favorite shows on Discovery+. I wished they'd made more. RiP
 
Alright, I’m speaking up on this one, though I am a bit surprised to see this on here. I knew the guy, his wife, and daughters. Though not well in recent years. He gave me my first flying job up here in AK. I worked for the company for 4 years, and for years afterwards, would wonder over and say Hi whenever I was in UNK. Jim taught me, and dozens of others, much of what we know about flying little airplanes in the bush. He would have us lowly pilots over for family dinner every night we were in ”town”. Hell of a guy, we lost a good one… As well has the guide with him, though I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing the guy, friends of mine do. The respective communities are hurting right now.

As far as the armchair quarterbacking I’m sure will come. You.don’t.know.shit. Also, fuck you. Until the investigation comes out, even the reports I have from other pilots in the area at the time, paint an inaccurate picture at best. Off airport operations is an art, more akin to the barnstormers of the 1920’s & 30’s, not the science of a certified airport. Paved, gravel, or otherwise. Unless you’ve done it, it’s hard to understand.

We get it.
Its a tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

That being said....
If I suck start my G19 tomorrow, I fully expect, that if the news makes it to the Pit, the responses will run the gamut.
"He was a funny motherfucker, and a cranky sumbitch, but we always knew his cheese wasn't centered on the cracker."
And if I am eaten by a tiger shark in the Gulf, don't you believe that shit, Hillary finally caught up to me.
 
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Understand your grief but do you make such appeals to everything commented on in here? This is the internet not the hanger coffee shop.

No matter the tragedy it gets commented on and shit on by us who have no knowledge of the details. I personally enjoy the humor while understanding there are people that actually know the people involved- they just typically are not here.

Save the fuck yous and perhaps provide the deets.

Rather than being pious in the den of depravity speak to us of “Hey guys a bad load of fuel” “ A faulty magneto” “sudden freak weather low”

I enjoy my free speech even if disgusting. You should see what’s said when you get eaten by a tiger shark….
After some thought, I agree. I did come on a little hard with the last bit. My bad. Unfortunately, I’ve gone through this too many times and I’m tired of seeing the people I respect get shit on while things are shaking out.

Early reports are: it was pretty windy out there for a couple days. They were pulling a bear camp, attempted a take off, got airborne but didn’t make it.

Edited to add the info.
 
Last edited:
After some thought, I agree. I did come on a little hard with the last bit. My bad. Unfortunately, I’ve gone through this too many times and I’m tired of seeing the people I respect get shit on while things are shaking out.

Early reports are: it was pretty windy out there for a couple days. They were pulling a bear camp, attempted a take off, got airborne but didn’t make it.

Edited to add the info.
Facts do change with the investigation. I had a buddy put a helo down in the gulf as he approached an oil platform. FAA initial report was pilot error. Come to find out the platform was releasing natural gas and not burning it with a flare. He approached down wind, the natural gas tricked his emissions computer, down went the helicopter.
 
Damn. One of my favorite shows on Discovery+. I wished they'd made more. RiP
That show was such a pain in the ass for us! I was out there for the 1st and 2nd season. It was cool watching how things like that get made. Then watching the episode with my job, work birds, and friends on TV. It was kind of a surreal experience. Then the producers got bored….. A couple of them where alright folks, the grand majority were giant douchers.
 
That show was such a pain in the ass for us! I was out there for the 1st and 2nd season. It was cool watching how things like that get made. Then watching the episode with my job, work birds, and friends on TV. It was kind of a surreal experience. Then the producers got bored….. A couple of them where alright folks, the grand majority were giant douchers.
Jim seemed like a great guy, husband and father. My condolences.
 
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That show was such a pain in the ass for us! I was out there for the 1st and 2nd season. It was cool watching how things like that get made. Then watching the episode with my job, work birds, and friends on TV. It was kind of a surreal experience. Then the producers got bored….. A couple of them where alright folks, the grand majority were giant douchers.
The giant douchers experience was similar with ice road truckers crew. Just randoms trying to glamorize our everyday for $$ that the subjects would never see. It’s like a low key “Onlyfans” where the naked chick gets SFA.
 
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Jim’s memorial was Tuesday, many attended. Couple guys performed a Cessna 180 fly over with the missing man formation.


Glad he, the PH, his family, and the guide's family, had this.

Most of us do things where mistakes just cost us money and pride.

Not so here. Mistakes cost lives and ripple effects can be just as bad and last lifetimes.