The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says a pilot crashed a fire suppression aircraft Tuesday into a Cass County lake. Eyewitnesses helped rescue the pilot, who survived the crash. DNR spokesperson Gail Nosek said the agency contracted with the fire suppression aircraft and the pilot was on a proficiency flight when he crashed around 2 p.m. in Inguadona Lake near Longville. “Pilots must conduct proficiency flights, sometimes called mission currency flights, to meet minimum flight hours each month,” Nosek said. Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk said in a statement that eyewitnesses helped rescue the pilot, a 56-year-old man from Texas. He was the only occupant and was treated on scene for minor injuries.