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Why does Google Earth show a plane in middle of a Michigan lake?

Photo from Google Earth. (Google Earth)

Barlow Lake is like any other body of water in the summer, in that it features fishing, boating and what appears to be a plane that is stuck at the bottom of it.

Wait, what was that last part?

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According to a photo on Google Earth, it certainly does appear like there’s a plane at the bottom of the lake, something that was first brought up on a Facebook group called ‘Grand Rapids Informed.’

The plane can be seen on the photo in a portion of a lake near Camp Manitoulin, a long-time YMCA camp on the lake’s northern portion.

When zooming in, the plane has a Southwest Airlines logo, but is it really at the bottom of the lake?

Upon further review, it isn’t, according to WFGR in Grand Rapids.

The lake isn’t far from Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, and plans can easily be tracked near the airport.

It looks like the satellite camera just inadvertently snapped a photo of the plane flying over the lake while it was attempting to land.

Other photos show the plane over farmland and a stretch of forest.

In other words, for those who plan on fishing, boating or swimming on Barlow Lake this summer, there’s no need to dodge a plane at the bottom, although the Google Earth photo is still neat to look at.

Case solved.

What is the strangest thing you have seen on Google Earth or satellite images? Let us know in the comments below.


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