Bay Area Pilot Makes Dramatic Water Landing Near Hawaii
HAWAII (CBS SF) -- A pilot flying from Monterey to Hawaii was forced to ditch his plane in the ocean when he ran out of fuel 13 miles from the Big Island Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The 65-year-old man in his Cessna 310 ditched his airplane around 5:23 p.m. and climbed out the cockpit onto the wing, 13 miles northeast of the Big Island in Hawaii.
A Coast Guard rescue plane, helicopter and boat assisted the pilot. A rescue swimmer hoisted the pilot into the helicopter and aircrew transported him to Hilo Medical Center in Hilo, Coast Guard officials said.
The pilot was coherent with no significant injuries, the Coast Guard said.
The Federal Aviation Administration had contacted the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu at 12:30 p.m. about a pilot who was 500 miles away from land and running low on fuel.
The pilot had estimated he would run out of fuel 100 miles east of Hilo, the Coast Guard said.
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