Man Pleads Guilty to Landing Plane on Military Base Twice, Stealing Truck

Federal Charges for Illegal Landings and Theft

• ✈️ Andrew Kyle White, 37, has pleaded guilty to federal charges for illegally landing a small plane on San Clemente Island, a naval base, on two separate occasions.
• 🚨 The island, part of Naval Base Coronado, requires special authorization for access, which White did not have.

Prior Warning and Repeat Offense

• ⚠️ In 2023, White was previously warned in writing that unauthorized entry onto the island was a federal crime after his first unauthorized landing.
• 🗓️ Despite the warning, he returned on April 6th, 2025, landing the plane without permission for a second time.

Theft and Vandalism on Naval Base

• 🚚 During his second intrusion, White stole a Ford F-150 truck valued at approximately $16,000.
• 🚧 He then used the stolen truck to ram locked gates at multiple restricted locations on the base.
• 💰 The damage, including towing costs, exceeded $8,000.

Military Response and Costs

• 🔒 The incident triggered a large-scale military response, with the island placed on lockdown as personnel treated it as a potential security threat.
• 💸 Locating White consumed nearly 500 man-hours and cost taxpayers an estimated $500,000.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

• ⛓️ White has remained in federal custody after cutting off his ankle monitor, violating his bond terms.
• ⚖️ He is scheduled for sentencing on September 29th and faces a maximum of 10 years for theft of government property and up to 6 months for illegal entry.