Antioch pilot crashes plane into Wisconsin lake, walks out of lake, goes home

A 78-year-old Antioch man escaped injury Monday when his ultralight/sea plane crashed in a southeastern Wisconsin lake - and he waded out and just went home, authorities said Tuesday.

Pilot Donald Fechtner was attempting a "touch and go" maneuver on Camp Lake - touching the water with the plane, proceeding on the water and taking off again - when the hull of the plane broke apart, according to the Kenosha County sheriff's department, which responded to the crash about 6:17 p.m. Monday. The lake is about 4 miles northwest of Antioch.

Fechter was able to walk out of the lake on his own, authorities said, and a person who lives along the shore drove him home.

Kenosha Sheriff David Beth says a woman walking her dog saw the wreckage in Camp Lake late Monday and called authorities, the Associated Press reported. Fire and rescue units from the Wisconsin towns of Salem Lakes, Bristol and Somers, along with the county dive team, responded to look for a possible victim.

Beth said that after the rescuers found no body, officials tracked the pilot down at his home in Antioch, several hours later, via phone numbers found in the aircraft.

"We're just glad he's OK," Sgt. Mark Malecki told the Kenosha News, although he said it would have been nice to be notified by either Fechtner or the witness who gave him a ride home.

Fechtner planned to return to the lake Tuesday morning to remove the plane, according to the sheriff's department. Fechtner could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. The sheriff's department is not recommending criminal charges, officials said.