a snake on a plane for real

Sulako · Post by **Sulako** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:52 am

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060603/ap_ ... hvBHNlYwM-

Pilot finds snake stowaway inside cockpit

Sat Jun 3, 6:47 AM ET

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Monty Coles was 3,000 feet in the air when he discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane's instrument panel: a 4 1/2-foot snake.

Coles was taking a leisurely flight over the West Virginia countryside in his Piper Cherokee last weekend and was preparing to land in Ohio when the snake revealed itself.

"Nothing in any of the manuals ever described anything like this," said the 62-year-old Cross Lanes resident.

But advice given 25 years earlier from his flight instructor sprung to mind: "No matter what happens, fly the plane."

Coles attempted to swat the snake but it fell to the pilot's feet, then darted to the other side of the cockpit.

While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with one hand, Coles grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other.

"There was no way I was letting that thing go," he said. "It coiled all around my arm, and its tail grabbed hold of a lever on the floor and started pulling."

The next step was to radio for emergency landing clearance.

"They came back and asked what my problem was," he said. "I told them I had one hand full of snake and the other hand full of plane. They cleared me in."

After a smooth landing, Coles posed for pictures with the snake, then let it loose.

"That snake resides in Ohio now," he said.

Ralliart · Post by **Ralliart** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:34 am

On long boring flights, I often find myself in a similar situation with one hand on the controls and the other wrestling a snake......just not quite 4 1/2 feet!

*sound of cheesy drum beat*..............sorry, that was too easy!

2R · Post by 2R » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:12 am

The one eyed trouser snake has caused a lot of problems in the cockpit.

N2 · Post by N2 » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:45 am

Aviation is full of snakes...but usually they are the snake in the grass type!

RatherBeFlying · Post by **RatherBeFlying** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:51 am

Without much in the way of description, most likely a Rat Snake or other rodent predator. I'd check out the tailcone for any sign of rodents setting up housekeeping.

laticsdave · Post by **laticsdave** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:27 am

I'm always worried about having a Spinosaurus on my plane - they're vandals!

dune · Post by **dune** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:45 am

InTheGame · Post by **InTheGame** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:00 pm

Ok thats funny, made me laugh, thanks

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:00 pm

I thought this was a joke until I saw the preview during X-Men III. Did they run out of idea's that haven't already been done on A/C.

Jeromeo · Post by **Jeromeo** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:00 am

LMAO. Nice pic dune. That's hilarious!

Jeremy Kent · Post by **Jeremy Kent** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 5:22 am

Lurch wrote:Did they run out of idea's...

No kidding. Exactly what I said to my girlfriend.

Couple years down the road, there'll probably be a remake of this snakes&planes movie.

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:42 pm

Yeah called "Snakes on a cruise ship"

You all are my witnesses if they come out with it I'm sueing, I came up with the idea first, but only if I'm not too ashamed to admit it!

Ralliart · Post by **Ralliart** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:21 pm

Get your T-shirts!!!

http://www.damnation-inc.com/order.php?item=1