STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

A small aircraft crashed into Pettit Lake on Sunday.

Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of the plane crash at 11:40 a.m.  Sunday, Oct. 13.

They found that a 76-year-od male from Sun Valley and his 64-year-old male passenger from Salt Lake City were sightseeing in a Cessna 180 when the pilot attempted to buzz the lake.

One of the airplane’s wheels caught the water and the pilot’s attempts to pull up were unsuccessful. The plane hit the water a second time, crashing into the lake.

Nearby boaters came to the assistance of the occupants, who exited the plane as it sank into the lake. The boaters took the two men to shore, offering aid until first responders arrived. The occupants were then transported by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center where they were treated for minor injuries.

The U.S. Forest Service will determine if the plane will be removed from the lake. It will depend on the depth of the wreckage. The Federal Aviation Administration is tasked with investigating the crash.