AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden was sent to the hospital Thursday afternoon after a small plane he was piloting crashed into Lady Bird Lake following mechanical issues, officials said.
The crash happened just west of Interstate 35 around 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon. The plane was a 2009 Cessna T-206.
TPWD officials said the pilot was taking the plane on a test flight following routine maintenance. The plane took off from the Texas Department of Transportation facilities at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
According to TPWD, the pilot reported mechanical issues and was trying to return to the airport, but was forced to land the plane in the lake instead.
Austin Police, Austin Fire, and Austin-Travis County EMS officials all responded to the scene. ATCEMS said the pilot was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center with potentially serious injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the crash. Crews were able to remove the plane from the lake just after 8 p.m. Thursday night.