ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Two members of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Air Unit are being credited with helping save a pilot who was in distress and helping them land safely earlier this month.
(Watch the video in the player below to hear the pilots describe the dramatic landing)
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On Feb. 4, just after 7 p.m., the SJSO Air Unit was contacted about an aircraft that lost power 3,000 feet over the St. Johns River.
The pilot was wanting to land at a private airfield in the area, however, due to the lack of runway lighting, the pilot could not find the runway.
SJSO Pilot Casey Kumar and Tactical Flight Officer Stephen Reece responded to the area and made contact with the pilot and the plane, which regained partial power at 1,500 feet.
They used the helicopter’s spotlight to illuminate the runway so the aircraft could make a safe landing. Emergency personnel responded to assist the crew of the aircraft on the ground. No injuries were reported.
“As part of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit, our main mission is to positively impact lives and save lives each and everyday. In an uncommon mission set like this one, we are extremely happy that no one was harmed and everyone went home safe,” the sheriff’s office said.
