A small plane made an emergency landing on a highway in southern California. The instructor pilot and his student passenger were then arrested for drug smuggling, according to police.
The pilot, Gabriel Leon Breit, 21, contacted authorities at around 1.45am on Thursday, stating that the Piper Cherokee Pathfinder aircraft had engine trouble and would be landing on State Route 76 in Oceanside. Breit and his passenger, Troy Othneil Smith, 36, landed the plane safely and were uninjured.
However, upon arrival, police observed one of the men hiding a backpack in the brush beside the road, said Oceanside Police Assistant Chief Taurino Valdovinos during a news conference.
Breit, a flight instructor, and Smith, his student, were detained. Police found a small amount of cocaine on Smith and another kilogramme in the backpack. Both were charged with drug trafficking.
“It doesn’t surprise me. Narcotics enter our country in various ways, but the surprising part is the emergency landing and how we discovered it,” said Valdovinos.
Airplane landed on the freeway in #Oceanside filled with narcotics ‼️ More information on @CitizenApp: https://t.co/Ddq7xapuu8 pic.twitter.com/dAEyQwdp6J
— Citizen Los Angeles (@CitizenAppLA) September 26, 2024
Investigators indicated that the plane left Oceanside on Wednesday afternoon, made a brief stop in the Phoenix area, and was returning to Oceanside when it had to land on the highway.
The plane’s owner, who rents it out through a flying club called Plus One Flyers, which requires a private pilot’s licence and a high-performance aircraft sign-off, confirmed that Breit and Smith rented the plane as a flight instructor and student pilot, respectively.
The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was informed about the emergency landing at around 6.30am and learned about the drug arrest from the news. “You just can’t write this stuff,” he said. “Unbelievable. Unbelievable that this is what people do.”
Breit’s grandfather, Victor Keisman, expressed disbelief, saying, “It doesn’t make any sense that he would get in any trouble.” He added that Breit was accumulating flight hours to meet the FAA requirement of 1,500 hours to become a commercial jet pilot and aimed to achieve this by the end of the year.
Keisman noted his grandson’s professionalism, stating, “He is very professional, so it doesn’t fit with his character. I have no idea what happened.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is collaborating with Oceanside police and confirmed that it executed a search warrant on Thursday morning. The plane remained on the roadway for nearly half a day during the investigation, which has been taken over by the North County Narcotics Task Force.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the emergency landing circumstances.
Breit and Smith were both released on bail on Thursday evening.
What Other Media Are Saying
- The Washington Times reports that two men, Gabriel Leon Breit and another unidentified individual, were arrested for landing a plane full of cocaine on a California highway, highlighting the alarming rise in drug-related crimes. (Read more)
- NY Daily News reports on the arrest of two men who ran out of gas and landed their small plane on a California highway, leading to a cocaine seizure and their subsequent arrest. (Read more)
- San Diego County News reports on the arrest of pilot Gabriel Breit and passenger Troy Smith for transporting narcotics after an emergency plane landed on State Route 76 in Oceanside, highlighting the surprise of the drug discovery during the incident. (Read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why did the small plane make an emergency landing in California?
The pilot reported engine trouble and landed on State Route 76 in Oceanside.
Who were the people on the plane and what happened to them?
The pilot, Gabriel Leon Breit, and his student, Troy Othneil Smith, were arrested for drug smuggling.
What did the police find when they arrived at the emergency landing site?
Police found a backpack containing a kilogramme of cocaine and a small amount of cocaine on Smith.
What was the reaction of the plane’s owner to the incident?
The owner was shocked and found it unbelievable that this happened.
What are the authorities doing about the emergency landing and drug smuggling case?
The DEA and Oceanside police are investigating, with the FAA also looking into the emergency landing.
