Helicopter Crashes into San Diego Bay, Pilot Rescued by Harbor Police

Monday, 23 August 2010
Contact: John Gilmore (619) 341-5684, (619) 686-7206

A Harbor Police diver and his partner rescued the pilot of a disabled helicopter after it crashed Sunday evening, Aug. 22, 2010, into the bay north of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.

The helicopter had just taken off from a luxury 142-foot yacht, the Leight Star, berthed at Fifth Avenue Landing behind the San Diego Convention Center when the engines shut down. Initially the 69-year-old pilot, Howard Leight, was going to attempt an emergency landing on the bridge, but heavy traffic forced him to ditch the craft into the bay.

Two officers aboard a San Diego Harbor Police vessel, on routine patrol near the bridge, heard the pilot’s mayday call. The crew reached the downed helicopter within a minute after it went into the bay.

The helicopter pilot deployed flotation devices, although the craft was partially submerged when the officers arrived.

Officer Rich Rodriguez, the Harbor Police vessel pilot, helped Leight, who was entangled in wiring and standing in the helicopter’s busted bubble while diver Tim Wright went into the bay and entered the partially submerged craft searching for anyone who may have been aboard. Leight was the only one in the helicopter.

“They did a great job,” said Harbor Police Chief John Bolduc, who was at the pier where the helicopter was towed. “They responded how they were trained and Officer Wright took a certain amount of risk in rescuing the tangled pilot.

Wright, who marked his 21^st anniversary Sunday with the Harbor Police Department, credited his partner, Officer Rodriguez, in the rescue.

“Rich is the hero,” “Wright said. “He maneuvered and took care of the (pilot’s) injuries at the same time.”

The pilot was brought to shore, treated at a dock near Cesar Chavez Park and taken to UCSD Medical Center. He suffered a back injury, cuts and bruises.

While taking the pilot to the dock where he could be treated for his injuries, Leight repeatedly thanked the officers.

“I love you guys,” he said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

View Media Coverage

• KFMB, CBS NEWS 8
• KNSD, NBC 7/39
• KGTV, ABC 10 NEWS
• KUSI
• FOX 5 SAN DIEGO
• SAN DIEGO 6

---