U.S. Customs agent killed in San Diego County-area helicopter crash
A pilot with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations was killed today in an on-duty helicopter crash in the far southeastern reaches of San Diego County.
The federal air-interdiction agent was flying a Eurocopter AS350 that went down for unknown reasons about 10:15 a.m. in the Potrero area, off the 1800 block of Round Potrero Road, north of state Route 94 and roughly two miles south of Barrett Lake, according to CBP public affairs, Cal Fire and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The pilot and sole occupant of the single-engine light-utility aircraft was on a border-security mission at the time of the crash and died at the scene, CBP spokesperson Gerrelaine Alcordo said. The agent's name was withheld.
The cause of the accident was under investigation.
