Florida man arrested after stolen plane makes emergency landing on Half Moon Bay beach

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

(KRON) — A small plane made an emergency landing on Half Moon Bay’s Poplar Beach on Thursday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed. A man was arrested for allegedly stealing the plane, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said.

There were no injuries, and the pilot was the only person on board. Video (above) shows the plane nose-first in the sand.

The plane is a single-engine American Champion Citabria 15. It is registered in the City of San Mateo.

The sheriff’s office was notified about the situation at about 5 p.m. A witness saw a man get out of the plane and walk down the beach, SMCSO said.

A man matching the description given by the witness was arrested about 20 minutes later just north of where the plane landed. A 50-year-old man from Florida was taken into custody. SMCSO said the plane was stolen out of Palo Alto.

There was a plane crash in Half Moon Bay in January. Three bodies were recovered in the area near the crash.

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.