Mooney M20J 201 (N4512H) recovered from Congaree River, South Carolina

CAYCE, SC (WIS) -  A single-engine plane that crashed into the Congaree River December 20 has been pulled from the water.

The plane crashed into the river near the Carolina Eastman Facility in Calhoun County. Local salvage diver Steve Franklin tells WIS he and John Baker were hired by Atlanta Air Recovery of Griffin, GA, to pull the plane out of the water. 

Franklin says the Mooney M20J plane drifted about 1/2 mile downriver from its original crash site because of high river flows from recent rains.

Monday afternoon, Franklin and Baker used airbags to float the plane and tow it about eight miles upstream where it was pulled from the water at the Thomas Newman Public Landing in Cayce.

The pilot was rescued from the wreckage by a group of Boy Scouts who were canoeing on the river. Brad Vaught of Irmo was taken to the hospital and released.

The FAA continues to investigate the crash. 

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Mooney M20J 201, N4512H,  Air America Flying LLC:   Incident occurred December 20, 2014  in the Congaree River, near Gaston,  South Carolina 

Event Type: Incident 

Highest Injury: None

Damage: Unknown

AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN THE CONGAREE RIVER, NEAR GASTON, SC

Flight Phase:  UNKNOWN (UNK)

FAA  Flight Standards District Office: FAA West Columbia FSDO-13

http://registry.faa.gov/N4512H