Plane that crash-landed in Key Biscayne Thursday night was on a training flight

An investigation is underway after a pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Crandon Park Thursday night.

The plane went down at 4000 Crandon Blvd. shortly after 11:15 p.m.

There were reportedly two people on Cessna C 172 — a pilot and a student pilot.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the student pilot suffered minor injuries.

The pilot took off from Tamiami Executive Airport and flew to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. They then flew to West Palm Beach International Airport. The plane was headed back to Tamiami Executive Airport when the plane lost power.

The pilots were on a training flight termed instrument flight rules in which the plane is flown by information from its instruments only.

Paul Malavenda, who is also a pilot, said his son was driving by when the plane went down. He said his son was the first one to reach it and spoke to one of the pilots.

“The pilot told him that all of the sudden the engine gave way and he broke his nose. When the engine gives way your plane just drops, so how do you control the drop, you know, how do you slow it down. It takes skill. It’s a miracle,” said Malavenda.

The pilot was able to land the plane and bring it to a stop on the side of the road but not before hitting a light pole.

This story was originally published July 14, 2017 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Plane that crash-landed in Key Biscayne Thursday night was on a training flight."