HBPD units shine their headlights on plane that landed on the beach (HBPD photo).

An emergency landing was made by a small private airplane on the sands of Huntington Beach this week.

According to the Huntington Beach Police Department, the plane – whose pilot said he was having engine trouble – set down on the strand between Lifeguard Towers 11 and 13 at around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The HBPD’s helicopter pilot overheard radio traffic from John Wayne Airport about the aircraft in distress and located it as it searched for a place to land.

The pilot maintained visual contact and watched the plane touch down safely on the city beach. Neither occupant of the plane was injured.