Copter Pilot Crash-Lands, Walks Away

A helicopter pilot working for San Diego Gas & Electric Co. walked away from a crash-landing in a field north of Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad Monday morning, officials said.

The unidentified pilot reported hearing a muffled explosion and seeing engine failure warnings. He made a mayday call to his ground crew at Montgomery Field before making the emergency landing, Federal Aviation Administration investigator Mike Harris said.

The main rotor kept turning, softening the impact, though it was unclear if the engine was running, Harris said. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

The rotor sliced the tail from the helicopter on impact, FAA officials said. Pieces of the helicopter were strewn about the field.

The helicopter, owned by Haverfield Corp. of Miami, had routine maintenance at Montgomery field Sunday, an SDG&E; spokesman said, and Monday morning the pilot was on his way to Camp Pendleton to pick up crew members and equipment.

The McDonald Douglas 500-D helicopter arrived from its company base in Miami earlier this month to work on a $6-million SDG&E; contract to install aircraft warning markers on lines higher than 200 feet, said Bruce Liska, an SDG&E; construction manager.

The four-passenger helicopter normally hovers over power lines while a lineman installs the 3-foot, ball-shaped markers, Liska said.

A truck provided by SDG&E; took the damaged helicopter to Skydance Helicopters for repairs, accompanied by an FAA inspector, Harris said.

Haverfield Corp. Vice President Mike Campbell declined to comment.