Pilot Lands Illegally at Restricted Coast Guard Base

[Brief] Servicemembers from Coast Guard Training Center Cape May are searching for the pilot of a private plane that illegally landed on a restricted Coast Guard beach last night.

On Sunday evening, beachgoers and bystanders in Wildwood, New Jersey took video footage of a single-engined aircraft flying erratically. Soon thereafter, at 1952 hours, security cameras spotted the plane landing on the beach at USCG Training Center Cape May, about five miles to the southeast of Wildwood.

The Cape May County Police Department and Coast Guard law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene at about 2010 hours. Multiple agencies responded to the aircraft landing, including the Coast Guard Fire Department, Cape May County Police Department, the Cape May County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, the Coast Guard Police Department and Coast Guard Investigative Services. On Monday, all units were still searching for the missing pilot.

The Coast Guard is certain that the pilot is not on the training center's grounds - security footage and footprints showed that he headed away from the property - but the facility has raised its security alert level until the incident is resolved. According to the Press of Atlantic City, the aircraft is a Piper PA12, and is normally used by a charter plane company to tow advertising banners. An employee reportedly used the plane without authorization.