EAGLE LAKE, Maine (AP) Authorities say a Maine Game Warden pilot escaped injury after landing his aircraft on thin ice on a lake and the plane became partially submerged.
The state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says Jeff Spencer was returning from a bear data-gathering flight in a Cessna 185 aircraft equipped with skis on Wednesday morning. Strong winds led him to alter his normal landing pattern slightly onto Eagle Lake.
He started to taxi across the ice toward the Warden Service Plane Base on the shore of the lake, but crossed an area of thin ice and the aircraft broke through. Spencer was able to get out of the plane, which went under, but was suspended by its wings and tail. A family that lives near the lake posted a Facebook photo.
The ice had been determined to be safe for aircraft operations as of Monday.
