A Cessna L-19 Bird Dog was recovered on Saturday from the bottom of a Minnesota lake, where it had rested beneath 40 feet of water since 1958. The recovery team used a large winch mounted on a pontoon boat to hoist the airplane, then towed it to shore. Divers also found a flight log, parachutes and headphones. The wreck was discovered by accident in July 2004, when fishermen in search of walleye scanned the area with an underwater camera. The Army airplane crashed after the pilot, Capt. Richard P. Carey, reported he was low on fuel and then apparently hit some seagulls and crashed into the lake. Carey was killed and his body was recovered two weeks later, but the aircraft was never found. Local organizations, including an American Legion post and an EAA chapter, plan to restore the airplane and display it as a memorial to its pilot.
L-19 Recovered From Lake After 47 Years
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, which had rested at the bottom of a Minnesota lake since a 1958 crash, was recently recovered.
- The Army plane crashed after its pilot, Capt. Richard P. Carey, reported low fuel and apparently hit seagulls, leading to his death.
- Local organizations plan to restore the aircraft, which was discovered accidentally by fishermen in 2004, and display it as a memorial to Capt. Carey.
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