by Donald Wood
Last updated: 2:36 PM ET, Mon July 6, 2015
Photo via Twitter
Small planes flying over the ocean while dragging promotional banners are a common sight for beachgoers, but one of these airborne commericals got a bit too close for comfort when it was forced to make an emergency landing on the beach during the Fourth of July holiday.
A small single-engine Piper PA18 plane was flying over Tamarack State Beach in Carlsbad, California, when it lost engine power. The pilot dumped the banner and attempted to land on the stretch of sand below.
According to Matt Mendes of 10News.com, the aviator suffered only minor injuries, but a 12-year-old boy named Nicholas Baer was struck by the plane during the landing attempt, leaving him in serious condition at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.
Joe Fryer of NBC News shared an image from the beach of the overturned airplane and emergency crews working on the injured boy:
According to reports, the plane's tire struck Baer in the head and then flipped onto its roof after touching down on the sand. Lifeguards and paramedics on the scene immediately jumped into action and helped the injured boy.
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the incident.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
