Pilot crashes plane into lake, leaves wreckage, hitches home

KENOSHA, Wis. – Sheriff’s officials say the pilot of an ultralight seaplane that crashed into a southern Wisconsin lake swam to shore and hitched a ride home without contacting the authorities about the wreck because he didn’t think it was a big deal.

Kenosha Sheriff David Beth says a woman walking her dog saw the wreckage in Camp Lake late Monday and called authorities. Fire and rescue units from Salem Lakes, Bristol and Somers, along with the county dive team, responded to look for a possible victim.

Beth says after the rescuers found no body, officials tracked the pilot down at his home in Antioch, Illinois, several hours later, via phone numbers found in the aircraft.

Beth says that other than being cold and wet, the pilot said he was not injured.