San Diego : Copter Pilot Unhurt in Hard Landing

A helicopter pilot who landed too hard Tuesday at Montgomery Field escaped injury, although the helicopter was damaged, airfield operators said.

The landing rendered the craft unable to fly, and it had to be moved from the airfield, said Bill Matson, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

The pilot was the only one aboard the McDonnell Douglas 500 helicopter, which suffered damage to its undercarriage in the minor accident which occurred around 12:50 p.m., said Bill Forsmark, a Montgomery Field operations assistant.

“He was a private pilot out there practicing by himself and simply made a hard landing,” Forsmark said. “There were no injuries to the pilot, but the helicopter suffered a bent (rotor) boom.”