Camera catches pilot landing helicopter on nesting site of protected birds in Florida

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A pilot was hit with multiple citations for landing his helicopter in a nesting site for protected birds in central Florida, authorities said. Video of the illegal touchdown shows a mass of birds fleeing the area as the chopper suddenly descends on part of an island refuge that prohibits visitors.

The pilot, identified as 53-year-old Ernesto Cordero of Bradenton, told wildlife officers that concerns over a potential fuel leak mid-air prompted him to land in Edgmont Key State Park, a remote island off Tampa Bay that is accessible to visitors only by boat. Cordero's helicopter left Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg on the afternoon of May 12, and landed briefly in the southern tip of Edgmont Key before taking flight again and eventually finishing the trip in Punta Gorda, according to an incident report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 

Although Cordero claimed he landed the helicopter because he believed he could smell fuel, possibly indicating a leak, the pilot did not report any emergency to air traffic control, the document said. A witness who reported the incident to wildlife officials — and recorded video of the incident — told the conservation commission that a woman briefly exited the helicopter when it landed on the protected southern beach at Edgmont Key. The woman appeared to take pictures before returning to the helicopter, at which point it left the area, the witness said, according to the incident report. Cordero acknowledged that a woman did step out of the helicopter while he evaluated his fuel situation from inside the cockpit. 

The helicopter landing caused "numerous protected shorebird species to flush from their nests," wrote Lt. Michael Bibeau of Florida Fish and Wildlife in that report. Bibeau said he was able to identify some of those birds as black skimmers and sandwich terns. The refuge on the southern part of Edgmont Key is a protected nesting area for those birds and others, including osprey, brown pelicans, white ibis, royal terns, American oystercatchers and laughing gulls. It is completely closed to the public.

Florida Fish and Wildlife cited Cordero for interfering with endangered and threatened species, a law that prohibits people harassing,, hunting, capturing or otherwise harming any creatures protected by that distinction. The agency also issued citations for landing an aircraft in a state park, and entering a closed area, according to the incident report.

In:
• Endangered Species
• Florida
• Tampa Bay

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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