FBI: Man Attemps to Hijack Medical Transport Plane at New Mexico Airport

AP Wire ^ | Oct 6, 2001 | The Associated Press

[Fighting Irish]

DEMING, N.M. (AP) - Authorities were searching Saturday for a man who held a knife to the neck of a pilot and attempted to hijack a medical transport plane before fleeing a tiny airport in southern New Mexico. FBI supervisory agent Doug Beldon said Friday night's incident appeared to be isolated and unrelated to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. No arrests have been made.

The University of New Mexico Hospital plane arrived at the Deming Municipal Airport around 9:45 p.m. to transport a baby from an area hospital. Paramedics had gone to get the child and the pilot stayed behind.

A man entered the back door of the plane and put a knife to the neck of the pilot and said, "Let's fly," Beldon said.

"It was very dark," he said. "The pilot certainly felt the knife to her neck."

The man was carrying a knife and a radio or police scanner. He was also wearing dark clothes that included a black hood with the eyes cut out.

The pilot started the King Air twin turbo-prop plane and headed down the runway when the back door opened and made a loud crashing noise. The pilot veered off the runway, Beldon said.

"Just after she veered off the runway, he struck her in the head three times with the radio device," he said. He said the man periodically repeated a word that sounded like "salama." Beldon could not identify the language of the word or give the exact spelling.

"He did speak with a foreign accent," which did not seem to be Spanish, Beldon said.

[CindyDawg]

Why? They lie too.

[Letitring]

I'm glad she ran the plane off the runway. With a knife to her throat, even. Good for her. I'm glad she lived through it. Many haven't.

[Fighting Irish]

Woops........helps to read you own posts now....doesn't it?

King Air!

sounds like a mattress doesn't it?

which STILL works........"Taking It To The Mattresses"!

[glock rocks]

No inflight meal OR movie aboard one these babies

and let’s not even discuss the king air’s “pilot relief tube.”

[Merovingian]

The pilot was taken to a Deming hospital, where was treated and released Saturday morning. The FBI and officials with Seven Bar Flying Service would not release the name of the pilot

Found this HERE

[Cleburne]

Amazing how many unrelated events invloving Arab-sounding people or seeming Muslim terrorist acts have happened lately. And I've never bought into conspiracy stuff before either!

[Calvin Locke]

Actually, he was trying to serenade her with a version of "My Sharona". But with the accent and all, it didn't come out right. And, of course, he was trying to keep time by banging on her head.

Celebrate Diversity and pop songs, you rascally foreigners...

Sort of gives a new meaning to "captivating the audience."

[Fighting Irish]

So THAT'S what that stream of water is..................?

and I thought it was prop wash.

[atafak]

Shortly after the 9-11 attack, there was a warning by the FBI to fire depts, ambulance companies, etc. to be on the watch for an attempt to steal an ambulance. Perhaps this attempt on a Med-Evac plane fits into whatever scheme the FBI had gotten wind of.

[MizSterious]

My question to all the experts here: why would a medical transport plane be of interest to anyone in general, or a terrorist (in case this guy was a terrorist) in particular? Would it have been carrying something of interest, or might it have been the plane itself? Very curious.

[atafak]

Ma'a Salama - Goodbye

In usage, esentially yes. But more precisely "with safety". The "you" is understood, but unstated.

[spokeshave]

So THAT'S what that stream of water is.............?

and I thought it was prop wash.

Now we know how those mysterious toxic contrails are generated......

[dogbyte12]

I would like to see the investigation that the FBI did on this. A pilot said she was about to be hijacked, the man appeared to speak in a foreign dialect, apparently using an arabic word repeatedly. He escaped. He was wearing dark clothing and a mask so she couldn't identify him. Knowing these facts, again, I wonder, how the FBI knows it's "an isolated incident"?

They know because... he acted alone? they didn't have warning? what exactly do they know that would lead them to know what they claim?

[MississippiMan]

Is this a joke or what? This sounds like something out of a Woody Allen movie! I'm with the person who said they'd give the pilot a lie detector test. I'd throw in a psychological exam too. I'll be the first to apologize, but this sounds down right cockomamie.

Yep, almost as nuts as the thought of four airliners being hijacked within an hour of each other with boxcutters. Nuts.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration...

MM

[glock rocks]

thank you. if it was Arabic, what do you suppose he meant?

[Letitring]

The King Air is a very nice, fast, airlplane. Usually seats about 10 people. Comfortable ride.

[Letitring]

Some are even bigger. Maybe a pilot will come along and post info on them.

[StormEye]

I wonder what target this guy had in mind --- Los Alamos National Laboratory maybe?

[Jhoffa_]

Another unrelated and isolated incident.................

Obviously..

[World'sGoneInsane]

Yes, I get your point. I guess I didn't pick out my screen name for nothin'. It was either that, or IJustCan'tBelieveIt. Seriously, half the things that go on anymore, I read it and think, if this was in a book, no one would believe it.