Cessna 172 Came Down In Marion Lake In Oregon On Sunday

A group of Boy Scouts wrapping up a camping trip at Marion Lake in Oregon truly did their good deed for the day Sunday as they assisted a pilot and passengers aboard a Cessna 172 that ditched in the lake.

The campers had packed up their gear when the plane came over the trees. It quickly became evident that the plane was not landing, it was "crashing," according to troop leader Matt Matthews.

The Oregon Statesman-Journal reports that the four people on board the Cessna got clear quickly after the plane came to a stop and began to sink. It reportedly was completely submerged in relatively shallow water in moments.

The pilot and passengers swam the 200 or so yards to shore. The scouts and a backpacker met them and got them dry and warmed up with some hot chocolate. They suffered only minor cuts and bruises, according to Matthews.

Pilot Trevor Shultz was taking Tim Miller and his two children Tyrel, 13, and Megan, 12 for a sightseeing ride for Tyrel's birthday when the airplane developed engine problems and eventually stopped completely. Schultz identified the lake, which is in rugged terrain, as the best place for an emergency landing and reportedly ditched the Cessna perfectly.

The scouts guided the quartet to a trailhead, where they were met by deputies of the Linn County (OR) Sheriff's Office.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov