LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California man has pled guilty to federal charges for twice illegally landing his small aircraft on a naval base and stealing a Navy truck, officials announced.
Andrew Kyle White, 37, pleaded guilty to a felony count of theft of government property and illegal entry into a naval installation.
The man from San Diego first flew a Glastar airplane — a popular kit aircraft among hobbyists — to San Clemente Island in October 2023, where he landed on a U.S. Navy airstrip without authorization.
The island, part of Naval Base Coronado, is located off the Pacific coast, approximately 65 miles (100 km) northwest of San Diego and serves as the southernmost of California’s Channel Islands.
At that time, he was given and signed a notice informing him that traveling to San Clemente Island without Navy permission is a federal offense and was advised not to come back.
However, on April 6 of this year, military authorities reported that White returned, landing his plane on San Clemente Island without permission once more. While there, he stole a Navy-owned Ford F-150 truck, driving it across the island and crashing it into locked gates that restricted access to certain areas.
He was apprehended the following morning after being spotted on security cameras walking around, as stated in the charging documents. Officials later found that he had driven the truck onto rough terrain, where it became lodged.
White’s attorney did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Officials estimate that White’s intrusion onto the base cost nearly 500 man-hours and resulted in a $500,000 loss to the Navy.
“Whatever (White’s) intentions were, the military did not know them,” prosecutors said in court documents. “The island went on a complete lockdown.”
White was initially released on bond but has been in federal custody since he cut off his ankle bracelet earlier this year.
He will be sentenced Sept. 29 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for theft of government property and up to six months for illegally entering a naval installation.
