Alaska is generally regarded as being a dangerous place to fly. While I don't have official statistics handy, the combination of frequent and severe bad weather, mountains, remote and poorly maintained airstrips, and bush landings (gravel bars, tundra, glaciers, beaches, etc) means that we have many crashes and many fatalities. However, many people do survive crashes in Alaska.

Below is a random and incomplete sample from recent years in Alaska, of small aircraft crashes in which people survived.

Cook Inlet plane crash survivors live to tell harrowing tale : Cook Inlet water is very cold, year around.

1 killed, 1 injured in Alaska plane crash

Details emerge in Triumvirate Glacier plane crash "I will give him kudos that he was fortunate to have a survival kit that allowed him to survive in those elements," Shaver said.

Family of 4 survives Bush Alaska plane crash that killed 2 others Two C-130s and a Pavehawk participated in the rescue.

Three rescued following Alaska plane crash near Rainy Pass

In GCI crash, grassroots search and rescue led to 'horrible' crash scene This was the crash that killed former Senator Ted Stevens. Four of nine aboard survived. There are photos and preliminary NTSB info here.

Seasoned Alaska pilot recounts Knik Glacier crash landing , Part 2, andPart 3. PJs, a C-130, and a Pavehawk help in the rescue. A Blackhawk crashes trying to fly them out. Who says we don't invest major resources trying to rescue civilians?

I have only grabbed examples from the last few years where at least some people aboard survived a crash. There are certainly many other examples where all aboard perished, but to say everyone always dies is just not so. I have a hard time believing that flying in the Southwest is anymore dangerous than it is in Alaska.

My own first priority when bush flying is, DRESS FOR CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND! Some of these folks had to wait awhile, often injured, before rescue.