Stolen Plane Flies Through Power Lines in Texas and Crashes, Pilot Vanishes

AP ^ | 3/01/04

[demnomo]

LAKE JACKSON, Texas (AP) - A stolen single-engine airplane flew through power lines, blacking out about 11,000 customers, and then crashed, and the pilot vanished.

The FBI joined the investigation and planned to question the owners of other aircraft based at the Brazoria County Airport, said Louis Jones, the county aviation director.

Investigators believe the thief broke into 16 hangars early Sunday before finding a Cessna 172 he was able to commandeer, Jones said.

After taking off, the plane severed a series of power lines about two miles southeast of the airport, cutting power to customers in the Lake Jackson area, and then crashed into a field. The impact sheared off the plane's tail and folded back its wings.

"No pilot was found at the crash site," Lisa Block, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told the Houston Chronicle.

Investigators found tracks leading from the wreckage.

Heavy haze and fog limited visibility and may have contributed to the crash, authorities said.

AP-ES-03-01-04 1053EST

[demnomo]

Isn't this close to that Texas chemical plant wherein a guard was shot and the assailant escaped?

[pax_et_bonum]

ping

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

"....and the pilot vanished."

Get out the tinfoil.........

[Mamzelle]

This story has to be completely bogus. I have it on excellent authority that no one can steal a plane, especially not for terrorist purposes, because hobby pilots guard their planes so carefully.

[leadpenny]

What do ya bet they will find that alcohol played a roll?

[Calpernia]

He flew threw electric lines and crashed yet walked away?

That is impressive.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Maybe the Cessna 172 just flew itself. Kinda like those dangerous SUVs that drive themselves.

[Fury]

Elvis?

D.B. Cooper?

[demnomo]

Here's the Texas chemical plant story from this past January:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1064568/posts

[Constitution Day]

Wow. BTTT.

[js1138]

Just an observation of a pilot aquaintance of mine: small planes are often left with keys in the ignition. Even after 911.

[KneelBeforeZod]

well obviously he found the right angle and speed to fly through it to create a rift in the time space continuim.

he could be anywhere in the future or past now.

[Indie]

First time I've ever heard of a C172 hitting power lines and crashing with the pilot surviving, much less "walking away." A joyrider wouldn't have done it in fog or IFR weather and low ceilings. Someone trying to conceal their presence from the ground or flight path might have.....tin foil anyone? I think the power lines were a fluke...what was the real target?

[Dog Gone]

[Calpernia]

I know you were making a joke; but could a plane like this be programmed for remote control like a UAV?

Maybe the footprints walking away from the plane was to remove hardware?

[demnomo]

...or drugs.

I hope it's not terrorist related. If that were the case, thankfully the alleged terrorist was a lousy pilot...

[BlackRazor]

Get out the tinfoil.........

I've long thought that flying a small plane through a series of high-power electrical cables could be an effective means of realizing time travel. I've just been too chicken to try it myself. It would seem this gentleman may have proven my theory.

[Ditter]

You didn't give us a sarcasm alert so I assume you are serious. This *did* happen, I saw pictures of the plane on the news & saw an interview with an official at the airport. We own property next to this airport but the plane didn't crash on our land. It crashed not too far from the Freeport petrochemical plants.

[Revolting cat!]

THIS JUST IN:

The pilot was a lady!