Plane crashes into river
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Emergency crews responded to a plane sinking the Pend Oreille River Thursday. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Emergency crews responded to a plane sinking in the Pend Oreille River Thursday. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
THAMA — No injuries were reported after a float plane made a hard landing on the Pend Oreille River and began sinking west of Lacldede on Thursday.
The aircraft began taking on water on after one of the plane’s floats was damaged in the landing, according to Bonner County sheriff’s officials.
A wakeboarding boat reportedly rescued to the pilot and a passenger.
“They not only did need treatment, but they refused treatment,” Lakewold said.
The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. Lakewold said the pilot faced difficult landing conditions due to the wind.
Efforts to tow the stricken plane to the shoreline were hampered when the airplane’s wing caught on the bed of the river. The plane was ultimately lashed to the shoreline with a minimal release of fuel. West Pend Oreille Fire District personnel placed a containment boom to corral the fuel.
“A rough estimate would be a couple of gallons, if that,” said Lakewold.
Lakewold said the rough landing displaced one of the planes floats, but did not rip it off of the aircraft.