Banner plane crashes in the ocean off the South Carolina coast

• A banner plane crashed at Myrtle Beach.
• The cause of the accident is under investigation.
• The pilot was the only one injured in the accident.

A plane flying a promotional banner crashed into the ocean off the South Carolina coast on Monday, July 31, 2023, at around 11:30 a.m.

The incident occurred near the access to the public beach on Avenue 40 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to ABC 15.

The dramatic incident shocked witnesses and has caused serious concern in the community.

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BANNER PLANE CRASHES IN THE OCEAN OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST

The Myrtle Beach Police Department said the pilot was the only person on board when the crash occurred.

The pilot survived the crash and was treated at a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

A witness, who captured the moment of the crash, posted on social media that the pilot was conscious and speaking after being brought ashore.

The aircraft is a Piper PA-12 fixed-wing single-engine plane manufactured in 1947. It has a blue body and yellow wings.

INVESTIGATION INTO THE BANNER PLANE’S CRASH CONTINUES

So far, the authorities carrying out the investigation have not provided details about the possible cause of the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an exhaustive investigation to determine the factors that led to this incident.

The aircraft involved was a banner plane, commonly seen taking to the skies over Myrtle Beach with advertising banners flying behind.

These planes are a regular sight on the coast, promoting restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. The accident was caught on camera.

AUTHORITIES REMOVE THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE OCEAN AFTER THE ACCIDENT

Crews towed the plane from the water while beachgoers gathered to watch the actions.

Police coordinated Tuesday afternoon with the US Coast Guard, the FAA and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to remove the plane from the ocean.

«We are currently working with the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to ensure that the aircraft is safely removed from the ocean,» stated Cpl. Starling with the Myrtle Beach Police Dept.

Fortunately there were no fatalities in the accident that was captured by the tourists who were on the beach.

WITNESSES DESCRIBE THE SCENE ON MYRTLE BEACH

Eyewitnesses recounted moments of anguish and despair as the plane seemed to lose control before plummeting to the ground.

«We looked over and we saw the banner plane coming by, and the banner plane, all of a sudden the banner started going lower, and lower and lower, and my wife said, ‘Oh my God the banner is in the water,» said a beachgoer.

“It was coming in very low, that’s what I noticed first, and then it kind of just nose-dived at a 45-degree angle down into the water,” another witness said.

“There were a couple of people who grabbed the rope that was holding the banner up and were trying to pull it down,” the tourists added, according to ABC 15.