Man lands disabled plane on N.Y. beach

POINT O' WOODS, N.Y., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A Rhode Island man successfully landed a disabled small plane on the narrow beach at Fire Island National Seashore in New York, officials say.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac said Paul Santopietro, 59, of Providence, R.I., landed his single-engine plane along the Long Island beach Sunday morning after its engine failed, Newsday reported.

Santopietro and two passengers were flying from Rhode Island to Virginia. No one was injured, the newspaper said.

Santopietro had borrowed the plane from his friend Robert Giacobone of Lincoln, R.I., who told Newsday: "He's a great pilot. I'm just happy that they were fine. I don't care about the plane, as long as they're OK."