Coast Guard helicopter makes emergency landing in SF's Golden Gate Park

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter had to make an emergency landing in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park Thursday morning.

The helicopter crew was returning from a search prompted by an alert beacon that went off, but was returning after about 30 minutes of searching at about 7:45 a.m. when a light went off in the cockpit, warning of a possible metal chip in the tail rotor.

The pilot landed immediately in the best place he could find and happened to be flying over Big Rec Field, located in Golden Gate Park near Lincoln Way and Seventh Avenue.

Mechanics arrived, "strained and drained" the tail rotor assembly, and at about 11 a.m., they tested the system. With all systems nominal, here's a different kind of round tripper for the famous baseball fields.

All previously scheduled activities for the day at Big Rec Field have been canceled, according to the city's Recreation and Park Department.

Bay City News contributed to this report.