Two men swam to safety early yesterday after their small plane crashed into Back River near Essex, authorities said.

The plane, a single-engine 1956 Cessna 172, was approaching Essex Skypark shortly after midnight when it crashed into the water, according to a Baltimore County police report.

The pilot, Scot Michael Young, 23, of Southeast Baltimore, was treated and released at Franklin Square Hospital Center for a head injury, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The plane's passenger, Paul Brian Bealieu, 30, of Northeast Baltimore, apparently suffered minor injuries.

Young told police he was unsure why the plane crashed. Federal aviation officials searching for the cause were waiting yesterday for the plane's owner to remove the aircraft from the river.

The registered owner, Clifford E. Ellis, declined to comment yesterday.

Pub Date: 11/17/98