A pilot of an “experimental” airplane walked away without a scratch after being forced to land in a marsh in Passadumkeag on Wednesday, a Penobscot County sheriff’s deputy said.
Deputy Jason Matheson described the plane as an “experimental” one-seater that had been airborne for some time when its engine seized up at about 8 p.m.
The pilot, whose name Matheson did not record, was far from the only airport close by, in Lincoln, so he chose to land in a treeless, swampy area off Pleasant Street north of Passadumkeag village, he said.
The pilot might have been lucky, but he was definitely skillful, Matheson said.
“He stayed away from the power lines and he picked a good area. He is very experienced,” Matheson said Wednesday. “He did an excellent job staying cool. He was as cool as a cucumber.”
The pilot walked up to Matheson as the latter was just arriving and assured the sheriff’s deputy that he was fine.
“All we did for law enforcement is facilitated making sure he was OK. Other than that, there was nothing for us to do,” Matheson said.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the crash, per standard procedure. FAA investigators will likely arrive in Passadumkeag on Thursday, Matheson said.
Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.