Tried To Swerve Out Of The Way

A boater who witnesses say crossed the path of a seaplane as it attempted to take off from Bayou Lafourche in southern Louisiana Thursday was killed when the plane struck his boat. Three persons onboard the Cessna 206 were slightly injured, and were able to escape before it flipped over and sank.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Department spokesman Larry Weidel told The Associated Press Michael Lyons, 58, was alone in his fishing boot at the time of the accident.

Reports indicate Lyons tried to swerve out of the way of the approaching plane, but couldn't avoid colliding with the aircraft.

Weidel said all three people onboard the Cessnas were employees of Chevron Corporation. Pilot Gary Songy, and passengers James Hunter and James Parish Jr., were treated and released from an area hospital.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 45WT        Make/Model: C206      Description: 206, P206, T206, TP206, U206, TU206,  (T
  Date: 05/24/2007     Time: 2059

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: LEEVILLE                    State: LA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  DURING TAKEOFF RUN ON BAYOU LAFOURCHE, SEAPLANE STRUCK FISHING BOAT.  BOAT
  CAPTAIN IS MISSING AND PRESUMED FATAL, LEEVILLE, LA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   2     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: UNKNOWN

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Take-off      Operation: Other

  FAA FSDO: BATON ROUGE, LA  (SW03)               Entry date: 05/25/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov