July 05--A small plane crash landed Saturday afternoon on a crowded beach in Carlsbad, and one person was injured, officials said.
The pilot was the only person aboard the single-engine Piper, officials said. The plane, from the Air Ads firm in El Cajon, was towing a commercial banner when it apparently lost power shortly after 3 p.m.
Beach-goers scattered when the plane began descending, but at least two persons person caught the dramatic crash on video.
The pilot was not injured in the incident, which occurred on the beach near the Encina power plant.
Witnesses said the plane was flying north then circled to the south, lost power, crashed onto the beach at the surfline and flipped over.
A boy on the beach suffered a gash on his head and was transported to a hospital after receiving aid from beach-goers and paramedics, officials said. The pilot left with a blanket around his shoulders.
The light plane was put upright within minutes as officials made plans to have it towed from the beach. A hazardous materials team responded to look for any gasoline or other items that could be dangerous to beach-goers.
A vacationer told KFMB-TV that he was using his camera to film planes towing banners when he saw the incident. Thomas Morrison told the station that the incident was "a shock."
Planes towing banners are a common sight over the northern San Diego County beaches, particularly on busy weekends. Skywriting planes leaving commercial messages in the sky are also common.
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Update
4:40 p.m.: This post was updated with new information.
