Helicopter makes emergency beach landing

A helicopter, en route to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport made an emergency landing this afternoon on Longboat Key’s Gulfside beach.

The helicopter landed at 2:26 p.m. near the 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Police say that pilot Joseph Leach, who has 28 years of experience, took off from Ruskin and made an auto-rotation landing after the helicopter developed engine trouble during the flight.

The three adult passengers on board were not injured. The Bell helicopter sustained minor damages in the landing.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the landing, following normal procedure.

Longboat Key Police Lt. Randy Thompson, who was on scene Friday afternoon, said the emergency landing was the first to occur on the island’s beach. Bayfront Park, located across the street, is sometimes used for helicopter landings in medical emergencies.

For more information, pick up a May 31 copy of the Longboat Observer.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].