Two local women are lucky to be alive after they fell from a float plane flying over second lake of Forest Lake.

According to a Forest Lake Police report just after 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, Shawn Marois, 35, of Forest Lake and Dawn Stelter, 47, of Lakeville were ejected out of a Cessna 180 float plane they were in when the planeís floaters hit the water and then broke free.

A Washington County Sheriffís report stated that witnesses at the scene ìdescribed seeing a float plane flying somewhat erratically and at one point the planeís floats hit the water at which time the floats broke free of the plane and two female passengers were ejected and landed in the northside of second lake.î

According to the Forest Lake Police report Darren Ritchot, who witnessed the accident, was able to rescue both Marois and Stelter, who in turn were transported to North Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

The report also stated that the pilot of the plane, Paul Michaud, 44, of Forest Lake and another passenger Robert Marois, 36, of Forest Lake, was able to regain altitude and enough control to fly it to a nearby field in the City of Columbus and land it safely.

The pilot was forced to make a belly landing on the grass runway in Columbus.

Neither Michaud or Robert Marois were injured in the incident.

The sheriffís report stated that currently there is no indication of what caused the incident, but that an investigation would continue by both the Sheriffís office and the FAA.

Forest Lake police and fire personnel assisted with the lake incident.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605