A fluid leak forced the crew of a military helicopter on a routine training flight out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar today to make a safe precautionary landing at Del Mar Shores Beach.
An instrument indicating low oil pressure aboard the CH-53E Super Stallion prompted the pilots to set the aircraft down at the waterfront park off South Sierra Avenue in the far southern reaches of Solana Beach about 11:40 a.m., according to USMC public-affairs officials. No injuries were reported.
A hazardous-materials team went to the makeshift landing site to help the Marines clean up chemicals that dripped out of the back end of the copter and onto the sand.
Marine mechanics were able to get the aircraft, assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, sufficiently patched up for it to be flown off the beach about 3:30 p.m.
