The pilot, who was flying alone, survived the crash and swam to safety. Watch video
Workers are getting ready to lift a small plane that crashed Monday into a lake in Sussex County and sank to the bottom.
State police divers headed Tuesday morning to the scene of the crash, at least 100 yards from the shore at Lake Aeroflex in Andover Township. Two large trucks that will be used in the removal arrived just before noon.
Divers getting ready to head to the location of a small plane that crashed into Lake Aeroflex and sank, April 24, 2018 (Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) The pilot, identified Tuesday as 49-year-old John Wells, had just taken off from the neighboring Andover-Aeroflex Airport when his Bellanca CH7A model plane banked to the left and landed mostly on its belly in the water, according to Andover Towship Police Chief Eric Danielson.
Wells, who was alone in the plane, jumped out and began swimming to shore. He was rescued by two Andover Township police officers in a rowboat who responded within 5 minutes of a 911 call.
PHOTOS: Small plane crashes into Lake Aeroflex
Wells complained of neck and back pain upon being rescued and was flown to Morristown Medical Center.
He was listed Tuesday morning in fair condition.
Complicating the plane removal effort is that Lake Aerofllex is the state's deepest natural lake, reaching a depth of 110 feet in places.
Danielson, on Monday, estimated that the plane in under between 50 to 100 feet of water.
Both the lake and airport are located at Kittatinny Valley State Park.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
