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U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing in Traverse City

Traverse City U.S. Coast Gaurd made an emergancy landing near U.S. 31 and Kesner Road on May 23, 2023. The helicopter experienced leak in its hydraulic systems. No one onboard was injured.
Rebecca Particka
Traverse City U.S. Coast Gaurd made an emergancy landing near U.S. 31 and Kesner Road on May 23, 2023. The helicopter experienced leak in its hydraulic systems. No one onboard was injured.

A normal training exercise turned out to be not so normal on Tuesday. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter made an emergency landing near a cherry orchard in Traverse City.

Officials said the helicopter was completing a training exercise out in Traverse City’s East Bay, when it developed a leak in its hydraulic systems.

Andy Schanno is the commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City. He said the crew members made a safe call, landing the aircraft rather than attempting to fly it back to the station.

“This scenario like a hydraulic leak... is something that our crews practice regularly through the course of a year and through the course of their training, so I think that really kind of showed today that they were prepared for these hiccups that happen.”

Schanno said no one was injured in the incident... the helicopter should be ready for flight again once the leak is repaired.

Rebecca Particka is a reporter / producer for WCMU.