San Clemente Island
U.S. Coast Guard and Navy search teams Saturday discovered the body of a San Pedro man who was at the helm of a small aircraft that crashed on San Clemente Island, about 45 miles west of San Diego, authorities said.
The single-engine plane was spotting for a San Pedro-based fishing vessel, the Santa Maria, the Coast Guard said, when it crashed on the island, which is used by the Navy.
The pilot was identified as Robert W. Bacon, 55. A Coast Guard helicopter was to take his remains to the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
Bacon was alone in the Cessna 172, authorities said.
Federal safety officials are investigating the crash.
After a three-hour search, a Coast Guard crew aboard a Falcon jet spotted the downed aircraft shortly before noon in the middle of San Clemente Island, officials said. The fishing vessel had last heard from the aircraft at 3:30 a.m., authorities said.
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