FBI Probes Man Who Shipped Self to Dallas

AP ^ | Tue, Sep 09, 2003

[presidio9]

Federal agents say they are investigating how a man succeeded in stowing away in a cargo plane on a flight from New York to Dallas by shipping himself in a wooden crate.

After hours of traveling, Charles McKinley, 25, of New York City, pried open the crate with a crowbar Saturday morning, authorities said. He popped up outside his parents' doorstep in suburban DeSoto, shook the hand of a shocked deliveryman and walked away, The Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.

The deliveryman called DeSoto police, who arrested him on outstanding Texas warrants.

McKinley has not been charged with a crime, officials said.

The FBI (news - web sites) and the Transportation Security Administration are investigating.

"It's amazing that the gentleman survived. It's absolutely a bizarre case," said FBI Special Agent Lori Bailey, a spokeswoman for the Dallas field office. "Our concern at this point is to determine how this was done."

Officials said McKinley's crate was put aboard a pressurized Boeing 727 operated by Indiana-based Kitty Hawk Cargo from Kennedy International to Fort Wayne, Ind. The crate was transferred to a second plane bound for Dallas-Fort Worth International.

A ground shipping company picked up the crate and delivered it to the residence of McKinley's parents. McKinley spent at least half a day in the crate and broke out just in time for the deliveryman to see him, authorities said.

Air cargo receives less scrutiny than airline passengers in the heightened security imposed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

"While this is a very unusual situation, we are fully cooperating with the regulatory agencies, the shipper and other parties handling this investigation," Kim Wiemuth, a spokeswoman for Kitty Hawk Cargo, said in a statement. "Kitty Hawk Cargo followed all current cargo security procedures."

[B Knotts]

The funny thing is, this was probably a more convenient and comfortable way to travel than using the passenger airlines.

[billorites]

When you absolutely, positively have to get there overnight.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Is that cheaper than coach? More leg room, I'm sure.

[alancarp]

Another Darwin Award candidacy snatched the jaws of victory. *sigh*

[quark]

Just a normal flight on D.E.L.T.A. (Driving Every Loyal Traveler Away)

[Hegemony Cricket]

Stupid human tricks.

[ScottinSacto]

If I recall, The Onion did this exact spoof of FedEx.

[SamAdams76]

He probably had more leg room in that crate then if he sat in a regular seat on an airplane.

I wonder who packed him up and sealed the crate. He had to have an accomplice in this. Anyway, it looks like he popped the crate too soon. If he waited a little longer, he wouldn't have gotten bagged (by the deliveryman).

Hopefully he has a good relationship with his parents. Otherwise, couldn't they do a "RETURN TO SENDER"?

[Semper Paratus]

FBI Probes Man Who Shipped Self to Dallas

Hope its full cavity.

[Happy2BMe]

"FBI Probes Man Who Shipped Self to Dallas."

Lights go on in terrorist think tanks world-wide.

Shipping rates go up for the rest of us.

[LurkedLongEnough]

When is Chuck Schumer or the junior senator from NY going to blame Bush for this incident? After all, it not only involves airport security and New York, but also Texas.

[dead]

This is very suspicious behavior.

I mean, who the hell would voluntarily go to Dallas?

[presidio9]

Bill Parcells and Lee Harvey Oswald to name a couple...

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I mean, who the hell would voluntarily go to Dallas?

You apparently have never been here. God's county.

[joesnuffy]

Gee no sniffer dogs going over the cargo?
Homie Land Security and Transportation Safety...
But dont arm the pilots...

[Geritol]

He could have designed the crate to be sealed from the inside. Designed properly, the crate would not have needed anyone else to ever see him go into or come out of the crate. Just apply the labels, call the company for a pickup of a crate left for them, step or crawl in and fasten the locks or nails or whatever. Then just wait for the delivery man.

I would be terribly concerned that I would end up in an unpressurized compartment, or have the crate damaged beyond survivability. We have received some rather beat up boxes and crates here.

As for laws broken, I am sure there are rules restricting transport of live animals, biologically hazardous materials, false claims on the bill of lading, etc.

[Who dat?]

As for laws broken, I am sure there are rules restricting transport of live animals, biologically hazardous materials, false claims on the bill of lading, etc.

I know you can ship things like honeybees. You can ship other living things too but they have to be declared and there are extra hoops to jump through.

I’m pretty sure nobody declared a person would be in the box.

[eno_]

Yup, the only reason the Fibbies are on this is for ass-coverage, not due to a substantial crime.

[mhking]

Just damn.

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