Small plane makes emergency landing on Cape Cod beach

It was a shocking scene Sunday as a small plane had to make an emergency landing on a popular Cape Cod beach.

The Eastham Fire Department says the plane was forced to land on the beach between Nauset Light Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts, and Marconi Beach in Wellfleet.

None of the three people onboard were injured in the incident, the fire department said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) added in a statement that the pilot of the single-engine Cessna 172 reported an engine issue before landing on Coast Guard Beach in Eastham around 3:45 p.m.

It was quite a spectacle for beachgoers on Father's Day.

“It is kind of crazy to see it like that," Michelle Connors said.

“Certainly not what we expected," said Josie Uecker. "We just came in town today, we’re from Kansas city, we’re here on vacation and just kind of getting the lay of the land and found this!”

According to the FAA, the aircraft is registered to Cape Aerial Tours, and Stick'n Rudder Aero Tours in Chatham.

Cape Aerial Tours said in a statement to NBC10 Boston on Monday that the flight from Chatham Municipal Airport experienced a power loss, forcing it to make the emergency landing on an unoccupied stretch of beach approximately a mile north of Nauset Light.

The company's president, Tim Howard, confirmed that the pilot and two passengers were unhurt and did not require medical treatment.

The plane suffered damage to the nose wheel and the propeller, but there were no hazardous materials spilled, according to Howard.

Crews on scene said the plane was towed about a mile down the beach toward the entrance in an effort to get it out of the sand, as they raced against the clock and the tide to get the aircraft off the beach. Part of that process meant removing the wings to get the plane through the dunes.

“I know that like four people will have to carry each wing off,” said Hanna Dubey, from Capeway Towing in Hyannis.

She says they were asked to send trucks to the outer Cape to help out.

“We have the duty of towing it off the beach and back to the airport. I’m pretty sure is where it’s going to go,” Dubey said, adding that this is not something that she expected to see during her workday. "The wow factor of seeing a plane on the beach, you don’t see that very often. Or ever really.”

The the FAA, MassDOT Aeronautics, National Seashore Park Rangers, and local authorities were notified and responded to the incident.

The FAA is continuing its investigation into the incident, and Cape Aerial Tours says the agency has their full cooperation.