A small plane made an emergency landing on a Staten Island athletic field Wednesday evening due to poor weather conditions, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

The Piper PA18 plane, a banner tow operator, landed in Miller Field in New Dorp around 5:40 p.m., federal officials said.

 

The pilot, whose identity has not been confirmed as of this writing, told NY1 that he landed the plane because of the poor weather conditions. Heavy fog was present at Miller Field in the evening.

 

Only the pilot was on board, the FAA said. Sources said he was not hurt. The plane landed next to a baseball field.

John Consalvo said the plane approached the field from the ocean and was teetering and flying low. He said a GEICO advertising banner attached to the plane came off before the aircraft flew towards New Dorp High School, turned around, and landed on the field.

 

Consalvo said some children were playing at Miller Field at the time of the landing.

No damage to the plane or Miller Field was reported, and officials are working to have the plane removed from the field, sources told NY1.

Sources told NY1 that the pilot is very familiar with the area, which is why he chose to land on Miller Field. Sources said he thought he would have enough space to land without injuring anyone.

The FAA is investigating.