Small plane makes emergency landing on Huntington Beach shore

A small plane made an emergency landing along the shore of Huntington Beach Thursday night. 

The Huntington Beach Police Department said the plane landed in the sand between lifeguard towers 11 and 13 at around 9:30 p.m.

The owner of the Cessna told CBS LA that there was a mechanical issue with the plane, which led to the emergency landing. He credited the pilot for making a perfect landing, staying calm, and leaning on emergency training.

The pilot had gone to Santa Barbara and was returning to the John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Both of the occupants inside the plane were unharmed following the beach landing.

As of Friday morning, the owner stated that the mechanical issue had been resolved, and he is now awaiting clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration so the plane can take off from the sand.