Aircraft emergency landing on Big Lake
A home-built aircraft had to make an emergency landing on Big Lake after losing landing gear upon departure from Fish Lake.
On Saturday at 12:58 pm, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a home-built, fixed-wing aircraft that lost part of its landing gear upon departure from Fish Lake in Fredenberg Township in St. Louis County.
The pilot, who was aware of the landing gear breaking off, planned to conduct an emergency landing at the Cloquet Airport. Instead of the airport, the pilot landed on Big Lake at 1:46 pm, as the pilot determined that was the safest place to land.
The pilot was the only occupant on the airplane and was not injured. Emergency personnel and bystanders on Big Lake also reported no injuries.
The Fond du Lac Police Department, Cloquet Police Department, Cloquet Area Fire District, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and St. Louis County Rescue Squad responded to assist with the emergency landing.
The Carlton County Sheriff’s Office and Fond du Lac Police department will continue to investigate this matter along with the FAA and the NTSB