Boy injured after small plane crashes on California beach
Fourth of July celebrations at California beach took an unexpected turn for the worse, when a plane crashed onto the crowded beach and hit a 12-year-old boy.
The single-engine Piper PA18 lost engine power and hit the beach in Carlsbad shortly after 3pm on Saturday, authorities said.
The aircraft, which had been towing a banner, flipped over after landing.
California State Parks Lt. Justin McHenry says the 23-year-old pilot, who had clocked up close to 700 hours of flying time since last year, was not injured.
However the youngster who was on the ground sustained a gash to his head. He was taken to a hospital in San Diego for treatment.
Dean Nesbitt who was just feet away on the beach when the pilot dropped the banner, told CBS that the crash took everyone by complete surprise.
“I saw the plane coming in, engine off, it was silent that is why no one had any time to scatter. No one heard it coming,” he said.
“Being that silent you never expect something to come out of the sky like that. I just happened to catch it walking back over here and I thought this isn't going to be good."
The crowds enjoying the Fourth of July celebration panicked when they saw the plane gliding towards them.
“People were yelling for people get out of the way, 'get out of the water,'” said witness Darrel Hicks.
Witnesses say the plane flipped over on the shoreline after the wing of the plane hit the waves.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the cause of the crash.
The owner of the plane says the aircraft which is 15 years old, hasn’t had any prior problems.
