A small airplane flying from San Luis Obispo to Santa Paula made an emergency landing in the Santa Ynez River bed near Rancho San Marcos Golf Course Monday morning. The plane’s pilot reported engine failure, and had to make an emergency landing. The actual location of the landing was at Rancho San Fernando Rey, 166 Paradise Road.

“He noticed the open field of the ranch below him and was able to safely land,” said Capt. Eli Iskow of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, which responded to the situation. There was no apparent damage to the high-performance biplane and the pilot was uninjured.

It just so happened that the field the man chose to land his plane was one used this summer as a “heavy” helicopter base during the Zaca Fire this summer.

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