Mystery Airplane Found in Lake Norman

** Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Fire Department**

Firefighters from the Charlotte Fire Department got a big surprise as they recently tested sonar equipment in Lake Norman, a large lake northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. According to local news outlets, the firefighters found an airplane resting on the bottom of the lake.

As some of the firefighters took a closer look by diving to the airplane, which was submerged nearly 100 feet below the surface, they found a small single-engine airplane. They were unable to open the airplane, but there was no apparent evidence of human remains. The N-number of the airplane was reported to the FAA, which is investigating who the owner might be.

A woman named Barbara Anderson from Cornelius told WSOC-TV that she lost a seaplane more than 30 years ago when a pilot failed to retract the landing gear before landing the airplane on the lake. Anderson spent thousands of dollars attempting to find the airplane, but was never able to locate it.

Whether the mystery airplane belongs to Anderson or somebody else remains to be seen.

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Pia BergqvistAuthor

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.