Plane performs emergency landing on Cape Cod beach after engine issue, officials say

A small plane performed an emergency landing on a beach in Cape Cod Sunday afternoon after suffering an engine issue, officials said. 

The pilot of a single-engine Cessna 172 reported an engine issue about 15 minutes into the flight and landed close to Nauset Light Beach in Eastham around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, according to the FAA and the Wellfleet Police Department.

Three people were on board the plane and were uninjured, Wellfleet police said in a statement. 

According to the aircraft registration number provided by the FAA, the aircraft is registered to Stick’n Rudder Aero Tours, which provides sightseeing tours of Cape Cod and flight lessons. The two passengers were taking a tour at the time of the emergency landing, police said. 

The Wellfleet police and fire departments and the National Park Service were dispatched to Marconi Beach at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday for a report of a possible clash, police said. Chatham Municipal Airport notified authorities that the plane had safely landed before first responders arrived, Wellfleet police said. 

After initial investigation, police determined that the plane had taken off at 3:15 p.m. and experienced a mechanical issue 15 minutes later, forcing it to land. 

There did not appear to be damage to the plane and the National Park Service is attempting to move the plane above the high-water mark so it doesn’t make contact with the water. The agency will also oversee removing the plane from the beach, Wellfleet police said.

The FAA and National Park Service are investigating the emergency landing, according to officials. 

Stick’n Rudder Aero Tours did not immediately return requests for comment about the incident Sunday night. 

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