Posted on 09/03/2022 8:07:03 AM PDT by Candor7
A PILOT has allegedly stolen a plane and is threatening to slam it into a Walmart, forcing police to evacuate the store, as well as nearby homes and a local Dodge dealership.
Police in Tupelo, Mississippi, where the plane is flying overhead received a call from the man around 5am Saturday when he made the threats.
The plane is believed to be a Beechcraft King Aire 90, and its erratic circular flight pattern was seen in online flight trackers.
The police have asked people to avoid the area until the all-clear is given.
"With the mobility of an airplane of that type the danger zone is much larger than even Tupelo,” the police department said.
Police confirmed to the U.S Sun they have identified the pilot, but declined to release his name at this time.
Read our King Air Plane live blog below for the latest updates...
just now
Possible airport connection
Police believe the pilot of the plane is not an employee of the Tupelo Regional Airport, as originally reported, but possibly works for a Fixed Based Operator that leases space at the Tupelo airport, the Daily Journal reported.
The Pilot has left the Tupelo area, and was flying over a rural area in Hickory Flat.
The plane is believed to be stolen.
On a full tank, it can run for at least five hours.
just now
Possible airport connection
Police believe the pilot of the plane is not an employee of the Tupelo Regional Airport, as originally reported, but possibly works for a Fixed Based Operator that leases space at the Tupelo airport, the Daily Journal reported.
The Pilot has left the Tupelo area, and was flying over a rural area in Hickory Flat.
The plane is believed to be stolen.
On a full tank, it can run for at least five hours.
just now
Governor issues a statement
"State law enforcement and emergency managers are closely tracking this dangerous situation," Governor Tate Reeves said on Twitter.
"All citizens should be on alert and aware of updates from the Tupelo Police Department."
“inexperienced pilot” dead stick landed a King Air in a field?
WTVA report
Plane is down in a rural area field.
Local reporter video shows no sign of smoke.
Reporter says it looks like it landed normally.
He landed in a field. Answered prayer.
He’ll probably wish he had crashed and died. His life is ruined now.
The pilot’s name is Cory Patterson.
He crash landed in Ashland Miss., according to Fox News
Yes, I think he’s under arrest now.
WTVA reporting that another reporter confirms from police sources that pilot is in custody, alive.
He’s stupid. An A-10 warthog would easily do it. LOL
An F-16 with this would do the trick.
https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/f-16/
Wonder if we will witness equal application of the law.
If he was arraigned in NYC, he’d be out of jail by tommorrow, a non violent felony.
EIf he is a Dem, he may get off easier than most.
So how did they shoot down those cute little MiG-29s?
“Does he have a chute?”
To my knowledge, he couldn’t get the door open to get out, anyway. King Air 90’s cannot open the door due to cabin pressure stablization. These aircraft control their cabin pressure via an outflow valve. This valve helps keep the incoming air inside the cabin and then releases it at a rate that is regulated by pressure controllers. Basically, the door is sealed against the aircraft frame.
Besides, if this guy can pilot a King Air, he has had training to do so as they are not a Cessna and are not easy to pilot. Takes training and practice. He knows that trying to get the door open even if he can set the autopilot to hold trim, he’s in it for the duration of the flight, one way or another.
wy69
I’m betting we will learn that FAA had an experienced King Air pilot on the phone with him to help him land in an unpopulated area. If so it was done on a cellphone not on aviation radio or it would have been overheard by someone.
If on strip alert, jets are prepped and ready to go, with pilots standing by.
In this case, there are no alert fighters nearby.
It would take an hour or so before a pilot may be contacted and make it to the base, then pre-flight and launch.
And add more time to get authorization to load live munitions.
And then, the decision to down a civi aircraft is not done lightly.
If it was flying around a sensitive target area, then it is a complicated procedure to obtain approval to shoot it down.
FF
Drug Screen?
SSRIs ever prescribed?
That “expert” is waaayy wrong.
It can easily be shot down, it is all the stuff that needs to be done before a jet can launch, especially if we are talking about live munitions against civilian targets,
What’s with the picture with the animal costumes? Kind of weird.
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