DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Florida — A small plane made an emergency landing in the ocean off Daytona Beach Shores on Tuesday — yards away from dozens of stunned beachgoers.

The pilot, Richard Goosman, 75, made it out safely, but his single-engine plane was still on the beach Wednesday morning in Volusia County, on the east coast of Florida.

Goosman landed in the water and told officials he did so to avoid hitting the people who were on shore.

The plane hit the water with considerable force — the plane's right wing broke, and there was also visible damage to the nose of the plane.

Beachgoers said they were surprised by how the plane landed in the water.

"It was definitely a scary moment when it came in. It wasn't going extremely quick, but it was just the way it hit the water," Will Grider said.

Goosman told Volusia County Beach Safety officials that he was flying from North Carolina on Tuesday when he ran out of fuel.

Beach Safety said the pilot climbed onto a wing as the plane floated on the water, where he was rescued by lifeguards.

Goosman was conscious and alert when lifeguards reached him and was taken to a hospital for precautionary treatment.

The plane will be hauled away later Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board so that the Federal Aviation Administration can inspect it and begin its investigation.

A single-engine plane sits on the beach at Daytona Beach Shores on Tuesday afternoon, hours after stunned beachgoers watched it crash into the water. (Sky 13)
A single-engine plane sits on the beach at Daytona Beach Shores on Tuesday afternoon, hours after stunned beachgoers watched it crash into the water. (Sky 13)