Pilot walks away after crashing upside down into northern metro lake
Stock image of Cessna 180, which is the type of plane involved in the crash.
A pilot who crashed while performing a touch-and-go maneuver over water in the north metro walked away from the scene with only minor injuries Thursday afternoon.
According to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, the 72-year-old pilot from Coon Rapids was flying a Cessna 180 when he crashed on the south end of Coon Lake in the City of Ham Lake around 1:58 p.m.
The man said he took off from an airport in Cambridge en route to Blaine Airport when he "decided to do a touch-and-go maneuver on the water of Coon Lake." Because the landing gear was down, it made contact with the water and caused the plane to crash upside down.
Before deputies arrived at the scene, the pilot was rescued from the water by a private citizen and brought to shore. The pilot suffered only minor injuries and was treated at the scene and released.
"We are thankful that the pilot was able to walk away from this crash as there was potential for a more tragic outcome," the Anoka County Sheriff's Office said.
Authorities are in the process of salvaging the plane and the FAA is assisting in the investigation.
