Members of 442 Squadron evacuated a stranded pilot saturday night in a mountainous area near Spences Bridge.The pilot had landed his light aircraft along a lakeside road, but when he attempted to taxi for takeoff, a wheel became lodged in a sinkhole, trapping the aircraft. The pilot was able to use his aircraft radio to give his position to a passing airliner, which then relayed the distress call to Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) Victoria.JRCC Victoria dispatched a CC-115 Buffalo and a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 19 Wing Comox. With darkness fast approaching, the Buffalo dropped a handheld radio to the stranded pilot in order to check on his condition.As the Buffalo lit the way with flares, the Cormorant landed shortly thereafter to pick up the pilot and fly him to Abbotsford.鈥淗e was uninjured, but he could have been in trouble if not evacuated,鈥� said Sgt. Dan Pasieka, lead SAR Tech on the Cormorant. 鈥淎 short flight in an aircraft can still get you a long ways from help and pilots need to be prepared.鈥濃�� 19 Wing Comox
