Plane towing ad lands in shallow water

"The guy did such a good job that I would be hesitant to call it a crash," said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which investigates airplane incidents.

The pilot's name was not released.

Gregor said the pilot declared an undisclosed emergency about 4 p.m. while towing an advertising banner along the shore near Surfside. There were no other injuries and the incident is being investigated by the FAA, Gregor said.

The airplane appeared not to have had major structural damage, Gregor said.

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David Haldane

MALIBU

Trailer fire sparks brush blaze



A trailer fire on Las Virgenes Canyon Road that began about 3 p.m. Friday spread and burned more than 20 acres of brush in Malibu before being contained almost four hours later, Los Angeles County fire officials said.

More than 200 firefighters responded near Las Virgenes Canyon Road and Las Virgenes Road, officials said.

By Friday evening, the fire was 90% contained. No one was hurt and no other structures were threatened, authorities said.

The blaze triggered evacuations at Malibu Creek State Park and voluntary evacuations along Mulholland Drive, west of Las Virgenes Canyon Road, officials said.

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Sam Quinones