Brian Hamacher

Pilot Survives After Small Plane Crashes Into Oakland Park Lake

Pilot swims to shore after small plane goes down near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport

A pilot was okay after his small plane crashed into a lake in Oakland Park Wednesday.

The crash was reported in the area of Northwest 21st Avenue and Oakland Park Boulevard around 12:15 p.m.

Officials said the Piper PA-23 lost power and went down about two miles from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

Broward Sheriff's Office officials said the pilot was able to get out of the plane and swim to shore before the aircraft sank into the lake.

Cell phone video from witnesses showed the pilot standing on the wing of the plane as it started to sink into the lake.

"I was sitting in my truck, I was having some lunch and right about here in the middle of the sky here, the engine went out on the plane, there was a puff of smoke, the plane started taking a nosedive down," witness Rona Forbes said. "When it dropped in the water, I was watching it and I was shouting, I asked the neighbors to rescue the guy.”

The FAA and NTSB will investigate the cause of the crash.

No other information was immediately known.

Check back with NBC 6 for updates.

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