Small Plane Flips in Wildlife Refuge While Making Emergency Landing

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department:

On June 20th, 2024, at about 10:35 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in the Loleta area for a report of a possible small aircraft accident. Other emergency services to include the California Highway Patrol, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Humboldt Bay Refuge, Loleta Volunteer Fire Department, and City Ambulance also responded.

Once on scene, responding personnel were able to locate a small, single engine, fixed winged aircraft that had come to rest upside down in a dry marsh area. The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft, 67 year-old Joseph McCoy of Napa, was found to be uninjured. 

Preliminary information indicates McCoy had just departed the Eureka area when the aircraft lost power, resulting in McCoy making an emergency landing at the refuge. Upon landing, the soft ground of the marsh appears to have contributed to the aircraft coming to rest in an inverted position. McCoy was able to extricate himself from the aircraft and contact emergency services.

Officials with Humboldt County Environmental Health later responded to assist with evaluating and containing any possible fluid leakage from the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation into the potential cause of this incident.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all allied agencies that responded to assist.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251.

Earlier: Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Humboldt Bay Natural Wildlife Refuge