It was a case of being at the right place at the right time for the
U.S. Coast Guard and the pilot of a small airplane that crashed into
the water near the San Carlos Airport last Saturday.

The pilot was flying a single-engine Cessna from Oakland to the Palo
Alto Airport when, "for some reason, (he) landed in the Bay," said San
Carlos Airport Duty Manager Mark Larson.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported the plane crashed at 12:05
p.m. in shallow waters about two miles north of the San Carlos Airport,
which was hosting the seventh annual "Vertical Challenge" Helicopter
Air Show.

A Coast Guard helicopter at the event was dispatched to hoist the
pilot, who already was swimming away from the airplane, out of the
water, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. John Fu said. The San Mateo County
Sheriff's office Marine Unit helped with the rescue effort.

Larson reported an ambulance took the man to Stanford Hospital for
treatment.

"He looked a little wet and a little cold but it looks like he's gonna
be fine," Larson said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of
the crash, according to the FAA.