Small plane splashes down in Big Bear Lake, no serious injuries reported

BIG BEAR — A small airplane with four people onboard went down in Big Bear lake after experiencing engine problems, officials said.
No one was believed to be seriously hurt following the 10:40 a.m. incident, San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman said.
“Several passengers were able to exit the plane and a couple of them have minor injuries,” she said.
The plane went down in shallow water in the southwest portion of the lake, according to Big Bear Airport and Federal Aviation Administration officials.
“An inbound announced having engine trouble, losing altitude,” airport Unicom Operator Bob Dow said.
The plane was cleared to land at the airport but didn’t make it, Dow said.
After hitting the water, “The aircraft came to a rest inverted,” FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.
The Beech A36 bonanza sustained “substantial damage,” he added.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the incident, Kenitzer said, with the NTSB spearheading the probe.
A preliminary report on the mishap was expected to be published within a week or two, he said. A probable cause will likely not be determined for several months.

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