The small plane was en route to the Ocean City Airport from Reedsville, Virginia.
Beachgoers got a bit of a shock Tuesday afternoon when a plane crash-landed into the ocean. A small Cessna crashed into the waves just feet from the beach after experiencing engine trouble. Ocean City Police said the crash happened at 6:19 p.m. on July 16, 2019, on the beach in the area near 20th Street. The pilot of the plane was treated and released, and no other injuries were reported. A full investigation will be conducted by the Maryland State Police.
Vacationers enjoying a day on the beach watched as the plane glided dangerously close to the waves before crashing into the water. Several people were able to catch the crash and its aftermath on their mobile phones.
A sad day for ocean city pic.twitter.com/LDLfcqTDR7
— allison (@allisun22) July 16, 2019
We are still working on details, but there’s been an apparent plane crash on the beach at 25th Street in #OceanCity, #Maryland. These photos are courtesy of Graysen Levy of Baltimore. Preliminary reports are that no one was hurt. @wbalradio pic.twitter.com/POx8JmWOQ5
— Phil Yacuboski (@WBALPhil) July 16, 2019
Members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol and Ocean City Police Department responded immediately. The pilot, Trevor H. Deihl, 23, of Reedville, Virginia, was the only one aboard and was able to swim to shore. Paramedics treated Deihl at the scene, and he was released.
Diehl told Maryland State Police troopers he was headed to the Ocean City Airport after taking off from an airport in Reedville. He was about one mile from the shore when his plane began experiencing engine trouble and he was able to glide the plane into a soft landing in the ocean. The plane is a single-engine Cessna 172 RG, built in 1981 and owned by Deihl. Shortly after the crash, tidewaters drifted the damaged plane onto the beach.
State police also notified officials from the Maryland Natural Resources Police, U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
What would you do if a plane crash-landed right in front of you? Sound off in the comments!
