A retired military pilot survived a horrifying crash over the weekend when his plane went down in the water just off of Miami Beach. Brian Haggerty, a Vietnam War vet who spent 21 years flying for the U.S. Air Force, plummeted into the ocean Saturday afternoon when his engine failed, and thought for sure that was the end. Lucky for him, his military training kicked in, and he was somehow able to get out of his submerged plane just as some jet skiers took off towards the site of the crash to make an astonishing and heroic rescue. Scroll down for video . Saved at sea: Brian Haggerty (above) was taken to safety by a jet skier after his plane crashed in the water off Miami beach on Saturday afternoon . Wreckage: The retired military pilot says his engine died, and less than 20 seconds later he hit the water . 'I thought, "Okay, I'm going to be dead in 5 seconds,"' Haggerty revealed in an interview with CBS 4. Even as he fell from the sky though, his first concern was making sure no one else would be hurt in the crash. 'It was apparent that I wasn't going to get [the engine] started again, so I looked clear to make sure that nobody was in front of me, boats or swimmers or anything,' he said. 'It was clear that I didn't want to hurt anybody, and I just made a radio call. "Engine quit, I'm going in the water."' Less than 20 seconds later he said he hit the water, which felt like 'somebody threw a concrete block at you.' That is when he quickly managed to inflate his life vest and get out an open window, immediately swimming towards the shore. Lucky to be alive: Haggerty (above) was using the aircraft as a banner plane, promoting a nearby club . Back to work: The Vietnam War vet says this is the first time he has had plane tropuble, and he plans on returning to work sooner rather than later . As luck would have it however, nearby jet skiers were already on their way to the crash site, approximately 900 feet off the beach, and managed to intercept the pilot, who other than some scratches and bleeding on his face was not horribly injured. 'I got on a Jet Ski and went out there, the pilot was already out of the plane, he had a floating device on,' said George Daly, who was working on the beach at the time. 'I asked him if there was anybody else on the plane, he said no.' Daly then immediately got Haggerty in from the water. Haggerty was flying a 1951 U.S. Army aircraft. which he now uses as a banner plane, promoting local clubs. He said this is the first time he has ever had any plane problems in his life. The near fatal flight hasn't fazed him either, as he says he is ready to get back up in the air sooner rather than later. 'I'll probably try to get on schedule and tow a banner this week, although my wife told me I'm not,' he said.
Brian Haggerty crashed into the waters off Miami Beach on Saturday afternoon when the engine of his plane died .
The retired military pilot was using the craft as a banner plane, promoting a nearby club .
He was able to activate his life vest and get out an open window, just as jet skiers came and rescued him .
A retired military pilot survived a horrifying crash over the weekend when his plane went down in the water just off of Miami Beach. Brian Haggerty, a Vietnam War vet who spent 21 years flying for the U.S. Air Force, plummeted into the ocean Saturday afternoon when his engine failed, and thought for sure that was the end. Lucky for him, his military training kicked in, and he was somehow able to get out of his submerged plane just as some jet skiers took off towards the site of the crash to make an astonishing and heroic rescue. Scroll down for video . Saved at sea: Brian Haggerty (above) was taken to safety by a jet skier after his plane crashed in the water off Miami beach on Saturday afternoon . Wreckage: The retired military pilot says his engine died, and less than 20 seconds later he hit the water . 'I thought, "Okay, I'm going to be dead in 5 seconds,"' Haggerty revealed in an interview with CBS 4. Even as he fell from the sky though, his first concern was making sure no one else would be hurt in the crash. 'It was apparent that I wasn't going to get [the engine] started again, so I looked clear to make sure that nobody was in front of me, boats or swimmers or anything,' he said. 'It was clear that I didn't want to hurt anybody, and I just made a radio call. "Engine quit, I'm going in the water."' Less than 20 seconds later he said he hit the water, which felt like 'somebody threw a concrete block at you.' That is when he quickly managed to inflate his life vest and get out an open window, immediately swimming towards the shore. Lucky to be alive: Haggerty (above) was using the aircraft as a banner plane, promoting a nearby club . Back to work: The Vietnam War vet says this is the first time he has had plane tropuble, and he plans on returning to work sooner rather than later . As luck would have it however, nearby jet skiers were already on their way to the crash site, approximately 900 feet off the beach, and managed to intercept the pilot, who other than some scratches and bleeding on his face was not horribly injured. 'I got on a Jet Ski and went out there, the pilot was already out of the plane, he had a floating device on,' said George Daly, who was working on the beach at the time. 'I asked him if there was anybody else on the plane, he said no.' Daly then immediately got Haggerty in from the water. Haggerty was flying a 1951 U.S. Army aircraft. which he now uses as a banner plane, promoting local clubs. He said this is the first time he has ever had any plane problems in his life. The near fatal flight hasn't fazed him either, as he says he is ready to get back up in the air sooner rather than later. 'I'll probably try to get on schedule and tow a banner this week, although my wife told me I'm not,' he said.
ocean Saturday afternoon when his engine failed, somehow able to get out of his submerged plane just as some jet skiers took off towards the site water off Miami beach on Saturday afternoon . Wreckage: The retired military pilot says his managed to inflate his life vest and get out an open window, immediately swimming towards the using the aircraft as a banner plane, promoting a