Maine game warden’s plane breaks through thin ice, pilot OK

EAGLE LAKE, Maine – Authorities say a Maine game warden pilot landed his small plane on thin ice covering a lake, and the aircraft broke through, partially submerging it, but the pilot escaped injury.

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 Wednesday morning.

He started to taxi across the ice toward the shore of Eagle Lake but crossed an area of thin ice, and the aircraft broke through. The plane was suspended by its wings and tail. Spencer was able to get out of the plane. 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.