[MindBender26]

A/C now landed on US Highway 60 (Interstate?) in Missouri. More when known

[MindBender26]

The single engine Cessna 172 landed on U.S. Highway 60 in Missouri around 9 p.m. CT, and according to sources the pilot ran from the plane.

There were no reports of injuries on the ground.

[txhurl]

I’m keeping my assessment of his religion to myself.

[Palladin]

Thanks for the update.

At least it wasn’t flown into a building.

[Wisconsinlady]

The pilot ran away on foot? You mean they had no police or anyone waiting for him to land?

[Rudder]

This guy’s a great pilot-—he squeezed 5.5 hours of flying time out of one hour of fuel.

[Beaten Valve]

Couldn’t they still pursue him on foot using the F-16’s?

I love watching those videos when they blast away at terrorists running away from a vehicle in Iraq...

[Sir Clancelot]

Hello, does anyone remember 9/11? OK, I realize Obama doesn’t, but what exactly do you have to do with a stolen plane to get anyone to take it seriously? I mean, they are evacuating government office buildings, so they have to suspect it’s a threat. What about just blowing the effing thing out of the air? #1 removes the threat #2 will serve as a deterrent to other knuckleheads whose intent may be to get on the 11 o’clock news.

[skinkinthegrass]

Frm.Microsoft Flight Simulator X Pilot, wanted to fly "the real thing"?

[earlJam]

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was flying for a while at 14,500 feet. Over 10,000 feet the air is quite thin and commercial planes would be pressurized, but the Cessna 172 is not. As a result, the pilot could be suffering from hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, which can lead to confusion.

The plane later dropped its altitude to 3,700 feet, where there is more oxygen.

Another government official said the plane did not seem to be showing any hostile intent.

"It had opportunities to go into heavily populated areas, and it has not done so," the official said. "It appears to be veering around. Not going to urban air space."

[ml/nj]

I guess I'd like to know why the plan wasn't shot down. We all learn the "follow-me" signal that interceptors give. (I'd also like to know how F-16s manage to fly slowly enough to stay alongside a 172.

ML/NJ

[Beaten Valve]

Laura Brown of the Federal Aviation Administration said the Cessna 172 landed on a dirt road at Ellsinore, Mo., near Poplar Grove and the pilot ran away.

[LibFreeOrDie]

From http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/06/stolen.plane/index.html

A federal law enforcement official told CNN the pilot is a naturalized Canadian citizen, but declined to give his name or country of origin. Canadian officials have received some information that the pilot is “not a happy individual,” the official said.

[Beaten Valve]

Pilot was born in Turkey; moved to Canada in 2008.

Hmmm.....

[beagleone]

Can an F-16 actually remain airborne at the speeds that the Cessna operates at?
Cessnas are sloooow.