Pilot Hawk Rolewicz (left) makes a call as mechanic Mike Parks inspects the engine after the small airplane made an emergency landing today, Friday (July 9) at the Old Kona Airport Beach State Park. Rolewicz made an unpowered landing on the old airport runway without damage to the Cessna. No one was injured. Â Photography by Chris Stewart | Special to Hawaii 24/7

By Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7

“Basically just lost the engine over the airport and glided in,” the pilot Hawk Rolewicz said. “It went pretty flawlessly for an emergency. Everyday is exciting, but today was more exciting than most.”

Rolewicz said he is a flight instructor and trains for similar situations constantly. He said pilots typically have emergency landing spots picked out all across the Big Island, but hope never to have to use them.

Rolewicz said he is fine and the plane suffered no damage.

POLICE MEDIA RELEASE

A small airplane made an emergency landing Friday (July 9) the Old Kona Airport Beach State Park. Pilot Hawk Rolewicz made an unpowered landing on the old airport runway without damage to the Cessna. No one was injured. Photography by Chris Stewart | Special to Hawaii 24/7

On July 9, 2010 at about 3:13 p.m. patrol officers in the Kona District responded to the Old Kona Airport for a reported aircraft accident.

After arriving, officers learned that a single engine Cessna aircraft operated by an I’olani Airlines pilot encountered engine trouble while in the air. The pilot made an emergency landing at the Old Kona Airport.

The pilot and the plane’s two passengers were not injured and there was no damage reported.