Ayres Turbo Thrush
Posted on 10/01/2001 10:16:46 PM PDT by itwasntme
Government Plane Missing Near the Bahamas The Associated Press Published: Oct 1, 2001 MIAMI (AP) - A two-seat State Department plane bound for a Florida air force base from islands near the Bahamas was missing late Monday, officials said.
The last contact with the plane was at 10:20 a.m. Monday, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said. It departed from Turks and Caicos Islands southeast of the Bahamas and was destined for Patrick Air Force Base in Melbourne on Florida's east coast.
Coast Guard and Air Force planes were searching an area 50 miles southeast of Freeport, Bahamas late Monday, said Petty Officer Robert Suddarth, Coast Guard spokesman. Pilots that returned from searching this afternoon reported poor weather and visibility, he said.
Bergen said the aircraft is an Ayers AY-65, which is an agricultural or "crop-dusting type of aircraft," and owned by the State Department.
Only the pilot, a 20-year veteran of the State Department, was aboard the plane, Suddarth said. Suddarth and Bergen did not release the name of the pilot.
They also said they did not know of any connection to the recent terrorist hijackings.
AP-ES-10-01-01 2311EDT
What possible use would the State Department have for a "crop-dusting type of aircraft" (though not necessarily equipped for crop-dusting)? These are low performance single-seat aerobatic aircraft, of no perceptible value to the State Department.
Anybody got a pic?
An alternate hypothesis: it was being flown back to the US to avoid any possible terrorist use.
This story is custom-made to fit Cuban propaganda. Cuba is always claiming the US crop-dusts them with a 'State Department' Ayers. Biowarfare, supposedly.
Uh-oh.
Small government plane reported missing
10/2/01 12:45:29 AM
MIAMI - A two-seat State Department plane bound for Florida from islands near the Bahamas was missing late Monday, officials said.
The last contact with the Ayres S2RHG-T65 was at 10:20 a.m. Monday, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said. It departed from Turks and Caicos Islands southeast of the Bahamas and was destined for Patrick Air Force Base in Melbourne, on Florida's east coast.
Coast Guard and Air Force planes were searching an area 50 miles southeast of Freeport, Bahamas late Monday, said Petty Officer Robert Suddarth, a Coast Guard spokesman. Pilots that returned from searching reported poor weather and visibility, he said.
Only the pilot, a 20-year veteran of the State Department, was aboard the plane, Suddarth said. The pilot's name was not released. -- The Associated Press
Ayres Turbo Thrush
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