NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WJAR) — A small plane carrying a banner crashed into the water at Kelly Beach in the Bonnet Shores area of Narragansett Monday afternoon.
"It kind of just hit the water nose first and then probably within 10 or 12 seconds, it was completely submerged," Brian Kelley, a witness told NBC 10 News.
Narragansett police arrived at the scene around 1 p.m., and swimmers were evacuated from the water.
An NBC 10 reporter, who was at the beach with his family when the crash occurred, said the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as the Department of Environmental Management, arrived shortly afterward.
"(It's) just crazy," said Nick Mongeau, a lifeguard. "You don't expect this type of thing to happen."
The plane's pilot, Jeremiah Coholan, 26, told NBC 10 he was not injured. He said he waited in the water for about 4 minutes before being rescued by a private boat.
"Thank god for those guys," Coholan said.
Coholan, who lives in North Dartmouth, told NBC 10 the plane's engine failed.
"The engine just stopped and I had 8 to 10 seconds to react, so that was it," he said.
Coholan was eventually brought to Monahan's Dock by the Narragansett Fire Department. Once ashore, he declined medical treatment.
According to Rhode Island State Police, the aircraft was identified as a small single engine L-19 Bird Dog. Coholan had been flying alone from Westerly airport to fly the coastline of Newport with an AT&T banner.
The beach reopened just before 3 p.m.