DANIEL TYLER GOODEN

GRAMERCY – An unusual vehicle pulled over onto the side of Louisiana Highway 641 Wednesday afternoon, just north of Colonial Sugars. A Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Cessna 185 Amphibious aircraft lost power and landed on the empty roadway. The green and white airplane was flying back to Baton Rouge over the swamps north of Airline Highway when the engine lost power and the pilot, Daniel Clause, was unable to maintain altitude. “It was running real bad and wouldn’t maintain altitude,” said Clause. The wildlife and fisheries officer was conducting a waterfowl survey of Breton Sound, lost to Lake Borne east of New Orleans. The craft was returning at a low altitude of 1500 feet when it lost power. A magneto in the engine failed, causing the engine trouble. The magneto sends electricity through the spark plug to ignite the fuel. “We were lucky we weren’t over the swamp when we finally had to touch down,” said Clause. The main trouble with landing was the high electrical lines around Airline Highway and La. 641. Skirting over the power lines, Clause was able to get the landing gear down and land on the highway. St. James Parish Sheriff’s deputies and Gramercy Police officers responded to direct traffic around the aircraft. The Cessna was left overnight and repaired by a Wildlife and Fisheries mechanic Thursday morning. The aircraft was flown to St. John Airport where the mechanic took another look to see if it was safe before returning to Baton Rouge.