A small plane had to make an emergency landing on a highway in Southern California due to engine trouble, resulting in the arrest of the flight instructor and his student passenger for drug smuggling. The incident took place early Thursday morning when pilot Gabriel Leon Breit, aged 21, made a call to authorities around 1:45 am to report that their Piper Cherokee Pathfinder was experiencing engine issues, prompting them to land on State Route 76 in Oceanside.
Upon landing safely without any injuries, police noticed one of the men attempting to hide a backpack filled with drugs by the side of the road. Flight instructor Breit and his student Troy Othneil Smith were subsequently detained by law enforcement officials. A small amount of cocaine was found on passenger Smith, while another kilo of the drug was discovered inside the hidden backpack. Both men have been charged with drug trafficking.
Oceanside Police Assistant Chief Taurino Valdovinos told reporters that the surprising aspect of this case is not the narcotics, but rather the manner in which it came to light – through an emergency landing on a busy highway. The plane had departed from Oceanside on Wednesday afternoon and made a stop in the Phoenix area before it encountered engine trouble while heading back to Oceanside.
The owner of the aircraft, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that he rents out his Piper Cherokee Pathfinder through a flying club called Plus One Flyers which requires applicants to possess a private pilot’s license and a high performance aircraft sign-off before they can charter the plane. This club confirmed that Breit and Smith were using the aircraft as a flight instructor and student pilot, respectively.
The owner expressed disbelief at the events unfolding, commenting, “You just can’t write this stuff…Unbelievable.” He was alerted to the emergency landing around 6:30 am but only learned about the drug arrest through news reports later in the day.
Breit’s grandfather, Victor Keisman, also expressed surprise at his grandson’s involvement in the incident, stating that it “doesn’t make any sense that he would get in any trouble.” He added that he has flown with Breit several times and described him as a very professional pilot whose actions do not align with his character.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed its involvement in the case, working alongside Oceanside police to serve a search warrant on Thursday morning. The plane remained on the roadway for nearly half a day as part of the ongoing investigation, which has now been taken over by the North County Narcotics Task Force.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also looking into the circumstances surrounding this unusual emergency landing. In the meantime, both Breit and Smith were released on bail Thursday evening.
