A passenger on a small aircraft that made an emergency landing on Highway 76 in Oceanside last month is now facing drug-related charges, authorities said Oct. 8.
Troy Othneil Smith, 36, of Oceanside has been charged by federal prosecutors with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Smith is accused of attempting to hide a package of cocaine from police officers following the emergency landing on Sept. 26.
Flight records show the plane left San Diego on the morning of Sept. 25, flying to Mesa, Arizona, the statement said. It left Mesa around 11 p.m. the same day, flying west. It flew past Carlsbad over the Pacific Ocean at 1:28 a.m. before turning back and making an emergency landing on the highway at approximately 1:39 a.m.
The investigation revealed that mechanical issues, which caused the engine to shut off, led to the emergency landing. The pilot and passengers initially planned to land in the ocean but managed to return to land when the engine briefly restarted, only for it to fail again shortly after, the statement said.
Officers from the Oceanside Police Department responded to the scene and found the pilot and passengers near the aircraft, one of whom identified himself as Smith.
Prosecutors gave the following account:
One of the officers noticed Smith wearing a backpack and pacing near the plane.
After ordering him to stop returning to the aircraft, the officer briefly turned away but heard the sound of a backpack unzipping. The officer quickly turned back to see Smith near the highway guardrail, reaching into the backpack and placing something in the bushes.
The officer ordered Smith to step away, and another officer found a heat-sealed, airtight package on the ground among the bushes.
The substance in the package was later determined to be cocaine, prosecutors said, and Smith was arrested.
During a pat-down, officers also discovered that Smith was carrying a large amount of cash along with a small vial containing a white powdery substance consistent with cocaine. The vial and its contents weighed about 11.3 grams and was determined to be cocaine, according to a complaint filed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The complaint revealed that Smith was already under investigation by the DEA and U.S. Postal Service (USPS) before the incident for allegedly shipping drugs from Oceanside to North Carolina and other U.S. locations.
The complaint alleges that he mailed about 1.2 kilograms of cocaine using the USPS following several search warrants executed between October 2023 and April 2024.
Smith’s preliminary hearing and arraignment are set for Oct. 31 at 1:30 p.m.
Another passenger, 21-year-old Gabriel Breit, was also arrested in connection with the incident, but no charges have been filed against him.
