A pilot and his passenger were involved in a second emergency landing in eight years when their single-engine Cessna 152 landed on a Long Island beach. Video posted on social media shows the plane gliding over the sand at Cedar Beach in Mt. Sinai before landing safely and then dipping into the sand, exposing the aircraft’s underbelly. Despite the scare, the 60-year-old pilot and his 59-year-old passenger walked away uninjured. They had reported engine failure just before landing on the Suffolk County beach.
This is not the first time this particular plane was forced to make an emergency landing on a Long Island beach. In March 2016, pilot Robert Keletii and a first-time student were flying at 3,000 feet over the North Shore when the engine stopped working. The pair made a forced landing at Sunken Meadow State Park, about 15 miles from Cedar Beach, and both were unharmed. Keletii later stated that he decided to land on the beach to save his life. The exact identity of the individuals involved in the most recent landing on Cedar Beach is unclear, as is the details of their flight path.
The location of Cedar Beach is 15 miles away from the closest airport on Long Island, with several small landing strips along the south shore. Additionally, there is an airport in Connecticut directly across from the Long Island Sound, adding to the confusion of where the plane may have been coming from or heading to. The FAA is currently investigating the incident to determine the cause of the engine failure and the circumstances surrounding the emergency landing on the beach.
The controlled crash landing on Cedar Beach occurred as the sun was setting, capturing the attention of onlookers and leading to the incident being caught on video and shared on social media. The video shows the Cessna 152 smoothly landing on the sand before dipping the nose into the ground. Despite the dramatic nature of the landing, both the pilot and passenger were able to walk away unscathed. This incident serves as a reminder of the skill and quick thinking required of pilots in emergency situations to ensure the safety of all onboard.
Despite the potential danger of a plane landing on a beach, the successful outcome of this event highlights the professionalism and training of the pilot involved. The fact that both individuals escaped without any injuries is a testament to their ability to handle the emergency with composure and skill. The ongoing investigation by the FAA will provide further insights into the circumstances surrounding the engine failure and the decision-making process that led to the emergency landing on Cedar Beach. In the end, the situation serves as a reminder of the risks inherent in aviation and the importance of proper training and preparedness for all pilots.
