Plane practicing takeoffs, landings in Lake Erie near Hamburg causes brief stir

A plane practicing takeoffs and landings near the Lake Erie shore in Hamburg caused a brief stir Friday.

At about 2:15 p.m., word came over emergency radio channels that authorities were investigating reports of a small plane in the lake at Route 5 and Old Lake Shore Road in Hamburg.

The Lake View Fire Department responded, along with a water rescue team, and word came back of a small amphibious plane in the water with a man standing on the wing or the side of the plane.

Fire crews put the water rescue team back in service and late-arriving firefighters began driving to the scene without lights and sirens on, a sign the pilot was not in distress.

A fire department dispatcher later told The Buffalo News the pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings.

Original article can be found here: http://buffalonews.com