Pilot uninjured after plane malfunctions, crashes into lake

By Stephen Borowy

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    MICHIGAN (WNEM) — The pilot of a small airplane is safe after his craft malfunctioned and crashed into Tawas Lake on Monday.

About 9 p.m. on June 14, officers were sent to Tawas Lake near Geller Street for a report of a plane crash.

When officers from the East Tawas Police Department arrived, they saw a small airplane upside down in the lake about 250 yards offshore. The pilot, a 54-year-old man from Whittemore, climbed out of the plane and was standing on the wing, according to police.

A witness on a pontoon boat near the airplane told police he saw the small plane land on Tawas Lake. He said the plane began to nosedive and flipped over in the water.

The witness stated he and several other people went into his boat to help the pilot. Police said the pilot was the only person in the airplane and there were no injuries.

The pilot said he landed his Ultra-Glide lightweight plane on Tawas Lake and started to use the throttle to gain speed to avoid the weeds. He tried to trim out the airplane when it malfunctioned, causing the plane to nosedive and flip over in the water.

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