A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter malfunctioned during a test flight at San Francisco International Airport today and landed on its side on the tarmac, according to the Coast Guard.
The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter’s pilot was hovering about 10 feet over a tarmac at the Coast Guard Air Station on the north side of SFO and attempting to land when it crashed at 2:55 p.m., Coast Guard officials said.
The crew walked away from the crash mostly unharmed, SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said. At least one person was treated for minor injuries.
The incident did not affect commercial operations at the airport, Yakel said.
Four helicopters and about 100 Coast Guard personnel are based at the SFO air station, providing search-and-rescue, law enforcement, port security and other regional emergency services, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard is investigating exactly how the crash happened.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
