Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility

NTSB: Victim of seaplane crash dies


A seaplane is crash-landed in Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh July 27, 2017. (Submitted by Lynn Murray)
A seaplane is crash-landed in Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh July 27, 2017. (Submitted by Lynn Murray)
Facebook Share IconTwitter Share IconEmail Share Icon

OSHKOSH, Wis. (WLUK/AP) -- A federal investigator says one person from Minnesota has died and another remains in critical condition after a seaplane accident near EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.

Investigator Dan Baker of the National Transportation Safety Board says the victim died Friday. Winnebago County Chief Deputy Coroner Chris Shea says the woman was a passenger. Her name was not released.

Baker says a third injured person is out of the hospital.

The seaplane hit a wave upon takeoff before it crashed into Lake Winnebago Thursday night, according to a spokesman for the Experimental Aircraft Association.

The plane was taking off from the seaplane base at EAA, which is holding its annual AirVenture fly-in convention this week in Oshkosh.


The Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB are investigating the crash.

"We saw the plane come out of the seaplane base, and it looked like it was having some trouble getting up," witness Lynn Murray said.

But at the time, she and her friends didn't realize how serious the issue was.

"We were saying, 'Come on little plane you can do it,' then all of a sudden we realized it had just gone down," Murray said.

Murray shared these photos with us:

Murray says she still can't believe the incident she witnessed turned deadly.

"The fact that we saw it happen and how fast it happened, was pretty scary," she said.

EAA officials say the plane hit a wave while trying to take off in choppy water Thursday evening.

EAA Communications Manager Dick Knapinski said, "It hit a large wave, and nosed over, overturned. The water was a little rough, and there was some winds. Once you get outside of the seaplane base, you are pretty much on the lake, whatever way the winds are going, you're beholden to that."

On Friday, Don Herman from Sunk? Dive and Ice Rescue went out to see the plane, which has now sunk to the bottom of the lake.

Conditions were too rough for crews to get the plane out.

Dive crews say they will try again Monday to remove the plane.

-----

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Loading ...