ST. AUGUSTINE — A Lake City pilot was not injured when engine failure caused an emergency landing on the beach Monday.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the 38-year-old man was surveying beach erosion from Hurricane Nicole when his plane — a Piper PA-18, a Super Cub — experienced failure around 11:37 a.m.
The report states the engine sputtered twice before shutting off the third time.
According to the report, the pilot — whose identity has not been released — attempted to make it to the St. Augustine airport but was unsuccessful, so he decided to land on the beach at Anastasia State Park.
When the pilot noticed people on the beach during his approach, he veered to the right and landed along the shore, the report states.
Waves from the Atlantic Ocean then overturned the plane.