Crime & Safety
False Alarm: Austin Medics' Reports Of Downed Aircraft Downgraded
Austin-Travis County EMS medics wrote of a plane crash at Lake Austin on Twitter before leaving the scene without incident.
NORTH AUSTIN, TX — Multiple emergency personnel descended to Lake Austin amid reports of a downed small aircraft on Thursday, only for the incident to be downgraded after "...the plane just took off," medics said.
Austin-Travis County EMS medics on Twitter said they were dispatched to the Pennybacker Bridge across Lake Austin amid reports of a crash involving a "small plane in the water" at around 5 p.m. The incident was reported at 5200 N. Capital of Texas Highway northbound, according to medics.
Fire crews and police were reportedly at the scene in addition to medics, Austin-Travis County EMS officials wrote on Twitter.
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Multiple #ATCEMS, @AustinFireInfo & @Austin_Police assets responding to a reported Plane Crash (Alert 3) at 5200 N Capital Of Texas Hwy NB (Pennybacker Bridge) (17:00); Initial reports of a "small plane in the water". More to Follow...
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) November 19, 2020
Medics downgraded the incident in subsequent tweets, quoting a bystander who reported that "...it appears this was a plane designed to land on the water" and "did not appear to be under distress." Later, emergency crews left the area altogether after "the plane just took off," medics quoted a bystander as having said to them.
UPDATE: Unconfirmed Plane Crash (Alert 3) at 5200 N Capital Of Texas Hwy NB (Pennybacker Bridge); Bystanders reporting that "it appears this was a plane designed to land on the water" and "did not appear to be under distress". This incident is being downgraded. More to Follow...
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) November 19, 2020
No injuries were reported.
Find out what's happening in North Austin-Pflugervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
FINAL: Plane incident (Alert 3) at 5200 N Capital Of Texas Hwy NB (Pennybacker Bridge); On-scene responders advising "the plane just took off". The incident is being cancelled & all personnel clearing the scene. No other information available.
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) November 19, 2020
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