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Last updated on Tuesday, July 23, 2013
(DUBOIS CO.) - Officials say the pilot of the crop dusting plane that crashed Friday is in fair condition.
The bad news is there's now concern chemicals and fuel from that plane may have polluted the water in Conservation Lake.
The Huntingburg Conservation Club has a Facebook page, and on Sunday, they posted a message to all HCC members to stay off the grounds this week, while they test the water and soil.
It seems the plane spilled a decent amount of chemicals and jet fuel, that has the HCC concerned about health safety.
HCC President Tim Jerger says he's been speaking with investigators, to find out what chemicals the plane was carrying and how much.
"They did say that the most it could possibly have been on that plane was 100 gallons of chemicals. I know there was a fungicide for sure, and I think, herbicide," Jerger said.
The fear is that some of those chemicals and some of the jet fuel may have mixed with the lake immediately following the crash. In the rainy days that followed, that mixture may have soaked through the soil.
HCC Boardmember Leonard Gehlhausen says there are no signs of dead fish, but there is some contaminated soil.
Gehlhausen says they've sent water samples from the lake to a state lab and they expect results on Friday. In the meantime, the park is closed for safety reasons until further notice.
Neither the FAA nor Milhorn Incorporated cared to comment on the crash investigation on Monday. But the FAA says they will be able to make public comments in two to three weeks when the investigation concludes.
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