North Qld light plane pilot averts crash

A pilot of a light plane has walked away from a potential catastrophe after pulling off an emergency landing in north Queensland.

The man, believed to be in his 60s, was forced to land his Cessna on a dirt road at Saunders Beach north of Townsville after it suffered engine trouble on Wednesday morning.

Queensland Ambulance Service Townsville Senior Operations Supervisor, Wayne Paxton, said he was "very lucky" to dodge serious injury.

"(He) has managed to land and right at the end clip its wing and spin around," he said.

The Townsville Bulletin reports the pilot, the only person in the plane, was able to walk to meet ambulance crews.

He was taken to Townsville Hospital with minor injuries to his ankle and back pain.