Confed College Plane Goes Missing

[. ._]

After some more thinking, (I have lots of time to do this now.) wouldn't it be safer to keep the keys out of the plane when not flying? Not for theft, but if the keys are hanging on a board inside a building there is less chance of having a live mag on the plane. I hear that can be dangerous if you're pushing it around and stuff.

Just a thought.

-istp

[linecrew]

I love how the perception of a threat can instill so much fear in so many....very sad times we are moving towards.

Prolly in the near future folks will feel the need to lock the door to the washroom when they are home alone when nature calls....lest they be terrorized while doing their business...by terrorists...who are all around us inflicting terror 24/7.

[iflyforpie]

Aviation has taken a sh*tkicking in the past 10 years or so and the only people benefiting from it are those people who profit off the so-called security.

Don't forget the people who profit off of aircraft paint!

[CD]

Silence! I kill you! Jeff Dunham - Achmed the Dead Terrorist

[Hedley]

I can just imagine this guy going to a maximum security
prison. His first day at lunch, he sitting inbetween a serial
murderer and a career bank robber. They ask him what
he's in for, and he replies:

crossing water without proper floatation devices

Anyone else reminded of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Restaurant

Because of Guthrie's criminal record for littering, he is first sent to the Group W Bench (where those draftees wait who cannot be inducted except under a "moral waiver") then outright rejected as unfit for military service. The ironic punchline of the story's denouement is that, in the words of Guthrie, "I'm sittin here on the Group W bench 'cause you want to know if I'm moral enough to join the army, burn women, kids, houses and villages after bein' a litterbug?"

[Shiny Side Up]

...And I said "littering" and they all moved away from me on the group "W" bench there, and giving me the evil eyeball, until I said "and creatin' a disturbance" and they all came back, and we had a great ol' time there over on the bench...

[Bushav8er]

A few others, as well as myself, already pointed out the most important fact. If you really want to steal the plane, as a PPL, CPL, whatever and do something like this, there is nothing and I mean NOTHING that can stop you.

Known fact(s), yes.
Point is: Did you do all you could to prevent an unauthorized entry? When the insurance company, RCMP
/FBI come asking questions, be prepared to get negative results if you say you left the keys in or doors unlocked. Obviously if you can not lock the aircraft doors, the 'all you can do' to prevent intrusion, would be to have a gated field/hangar, and some kind of 'access control' to air side.

keys should be with the aircraft documents that should be both returned by the student when the flight is done and given to the next student when the aircraft is dispatched.

Good idea too. Although the 'paper' can't stop an aircraft from flying, it would make it harder for an intruder to prove his ownership and raise immediate questions.

[Hedley]

Did you do all you could

I think that after every flight, every aircraft should have it's
propellers removed, and stored a distance of at least 100 miles
from the aircraft. This simple procedure would solve the
problem!

[CLguy]

Actually Con College already has a very secure system in place. All doors to the dispatch area are locked via an electronic keypad system and each student and authorized faculty members are issued an electronic key. The aircraft keys are kept in the dispatch office except when the aircraft are actively flying, then they are taken out of the ignition and placed on the AI button after each flight for the next student.

Leon had been sitting in the aircraft for over an hour before he started it and headed off. This is common practice with students who very often sit in the aircraft to review emergency procedures, checklists etc. so no one thought anything about it.

Like was mentioned in an earlier post you can never stop this from happening regardless of how many rules and procedures are in place. No different than if a guy wants to walk into a university with a rifle and shoot a bunch of women. No laws can or will ever prevent it from happening.

[Shiny Side Up]

The problem with airplane theft and such is the only ones who have any incentive to steal airplanes or aviation equipment are other pilots and operators themselves. The only aviation related thing that I've seen stolen otherwise is fuel. This means that a lot of thefts are by people who already have access to the hangars and airfields, likely they are someone who knows the victim, not necessarily personally. If something goes missing from an airplane likely you can make a short list of who might have stolen it by seeing who else has a similar plane online. Likely as well, his airplane key fits yours too - I think Between Cessna, Piper and Beech they used a total of eight different lock/key combos. Not that the locks are that secure in the first place, they can easily be picked or forced.

[linecrew]

Did you do all you could

I think that after every flight, every aircraft should have it's
propellers removed, and stored a distance of at least 100 miles
from the aircraft. This simple procedure would solve the
problem!

Won't work. Someone will steal your prop and then, because some bad guys are smart, will go to the airport only a few miles away and put it on a plane there. Also, now when they find the stolen plane with your prop on it, you're an accomplice!

[Finn47]

Leon had been sitting in the aircraft for over an hour before he started it and headed off.

If this is true, why did the college spokesperson say "he jumped the fence and grabbed the plane and took off before anybody could stop him" and also something like they weren´t sure if he was one of theirs?

Better get their story straight and also their act together, in my humble opinion

[Pratt X 3]

CADORS Number: 2009O0600 Reporting Region: Ontario

Occurrence Information
Occurrence Type: Incident Occurrence Date: 2009/04/06
Occurrence Time: 1850 Z Day Or Night: day-time
Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0

Canadian Aerodrome ID: CYQT Aerodrome Name: Thunder Bay
Occurrence Location: Thunder Bay (CYQT) Province: Ontario
Country: CANADA World Area: North America

Reported By: NAV CANADA AOR Number: 105603-V1
TSB Class Of Investigation: TSB Occurrence No.:
Event Information
Other operational incident
Security concerns - bomb threat, sabotage, hijack, theft, vandalism

Aircraft Information
Flight #:
Aircraft Category: Aeroplane Country of Registration: CANADA
Make: CESSNA Model: 172N
Year Built: 1980 Amateur Built: No
Engine Make: AVCO LYCOMING Engine Model: O-320-H2AD
Engine Type: Reciprocating Gear Type: Land
Phase of Flight: Takeoff Damage: Unknown
Owner: THE CONFEDERATION COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY Operator: CONFEDERATION COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS & TECHNOLOGY
Operator Type: Commercial

Detail Information
User Name: Donaldson, John
Date: 2009/04/07
Further Action Required: No
O.P.I.:
Narrative: The Confederation College of Applied Arts & Technology Cessna 172N aircraft (C-GFJH) was observed on taxiway HOTEL without a clearance and without being in contact with ATC. The aircraft was observed crossing runway 25, heading towards runway 30 along taxiway ALPHA. Airfield Maintenance staff were advised and a vehicle was dispatched to try to block the aircraft. The aircraft was taxiing extremely fast and avoided the maintenance vehicle and departed off of runway 30 at 1858Z without clearance. The aircraft flew northbound for approximately four (4)NM before turning southbound. Visual contact with the aircraft was lost when it was approximately 10NM southwest of the airport. The aircraft's transponder was not on but the aircraft was tracked on primary radar until it was out of radar coverage at the Thunder Bay VOR (YQT) 182º bearing at 65NM. Minneapolis-St. Paul ARTCC staff were advised. Ops. impact -- unknown.

Please note that for the most part, CADORS reports contain preliminary, unconfirmed data which can be subject to change.

[mdscientist61]

With these judges, you never know what they might decide (sigh).

Hmmm... maybe I should give these judges slightly more credit. This judge did something that almost looks sensible, given the observed behavior and statements made.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/1 ... il010.html

I just hope that this jerk doesn't get off free.

[ottawa,kan]

So did you notice the "rednecks" next door in Missouri picked the guy up and gave him a ride to the local store, where he bought a pop and waited for the cops? Actually you couldn't ask for a better place to land than the rural midwest. And if youre' going to make jokes about John Deere antiaircraft guns, don't show a picture of Case/International antiaircraft guns, you uncultured fugk. My guess is with a good lawyer ( free from the State of Missouri ) he'll go scott free on the transporting stolen property (not theft as that would be Canadas juristiction) charge, because he clearly had the right to the plane. With no previous criminal record the required sentance will be "presumptive probation" on the illegal entry charge. Then he'll go home, which is Canada by the way. Can't see why he wouldn't be allowed back in the US with no felony record.

[VikVaughan]

And if youre' going to make jokes about John Deere antiaircraft guns, don't show a picture of Case/International antiaircraft guns, you uncultured fugk.

You're right. Such a statement was arrogant and unintelligent. I apologize.

If being uninterested in the distinction John Deere and "Case" in a simple joke makes one uncultured (LMAO), then colour me cretin and go gets me my foodin' shovel so I can swallow my pride!!

sense of humor ; noun - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous.

Try it sometime

[CD]

I think that after every flight, every aircraft should have it's
propellers removed, and stored a distance of at least 100 miles
from the aircraft. This simple procedure would solve the
problem!

Seems like someone has taken your advice!

Man crashes truck through gate at Arkansas airport

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — A man in a pickup truck crashed through a fence gate at the Fort Smith airport, drove 100 yards and attempted to reach a parked airplane. The man, 28, would not have gotten anywhere after reaching the tarmac Thursday morning — the plane was missing its propellers.

Witnesses told police that the man said he needed to "get to Israel" and that he had "all the answers."

The man was arrested and taken to county jail. He faces charges of felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor criminal trespass.

Police said the front gate and about 20 feet of fence were damaged.

[Doc]

My guess, he'll be back in Canada within 3-6 months. He's not worth the US court system's time. He's not a threat to society. He'll need to see a shrink, for sure. Back in YQT, he'll probably be charged with theft, unless the college is in a forgiving mood, which they may well be. He taught them a valuable lesson. Ten years from now, he'll be with West Jet.
Mattias Rusk, last time I heard was a captain with Lauda Air.

[CD]

Returned flight instructor relieved

16 April 2009
By Jodi Lundmark, tbnewswatch

The flight from Missouri to Thunder Bay was an easy but long one for Ken Baker.

The chief flight instructor and flight operations chair for Confederation College was the pilot who flew home the stolen Cessna airplane Wednesday night.

The plane was almost ready to go when Baker arrived in Missouri to bring the plane home.

"We had two engineers working on it," he said. "They worked for a full day on it to make sure the air frame and engine were good. When I saw it looked ready to roll."

Bakers said it was a relief to get the plane home and he’s glad no one got hurt.

The college is also grateful for the response from all the government agencies.

"Transport Canada and the police and the Thunder Bay Airport Authority and the American authorities were really level headed," said Baker. "They did a really good job of responding appropriately. We appreciate the support of everyone in the community and that it all turned out OK in the end."

Adam Dylan Leon, 31, a student of the college’s flight program, is accused of stealing the plane on April 6.

He allegedly took the plane from the local airport and flew straight south to a rural Missouri town. Police later picked up the Thunder Bay man at a convenience store.

Leon faces charges of transportation of stolen property and illegal entry into the U.S. If convicted he could face up to 10 years in prison.

His case is still being dealt with in the U.S.

[Finn47]

The guy has made a court appearance on Thursday and it looks like he is considered fit to stand trial and will be charged with stealing the aircraft, etc:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31443280/ns ... nd_courts/

[Doc]

Dusting off an old thread here, but...

Has anyone heard what's happened to this guy?
Still in the States? In prison? Dead? No news is not always good news....?????

[Inverted2]

My guess is Guantanimo bay. C*ck meat sandwich from big bob?

[Doc]

My guess is Guantanimo bay. C*ck meat sandwich from big bob?

Another well researched answer.
Seriously....what happened to him. The USA isn't behind any "Iron Curtain".

[lostinthebattle]

Published Friday, June 19, 2009 8:06 AM

Flight student indicted in plane theft

By CHERYL WITTENAUER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -- A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a man accused of stealing a plane in Canada and flying over three states before landing along a dark southern Missouri highway.

Adam Dylan Leon, 31, was indicted in St. Louis on federal charges of interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft, importation of a stolen aircraft and illegal entry.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Reap said Leon is accused of flying a stolen Cessna 172 aircraft into the U.S. on April 6 from an airport in Ontario, Canada. He faces a maximum of 20 years and six months in prison.

Leon's attorney, federal public defender Lucille Liggett, declined to comment.

Authorities said Leon stole the plane from a flight school he attended and landed it more than seven hours later near a highway in southern Missouri. Leon allegedly told the FBI he was trying to commit suicide by U.S. fighter jet.

U.S. Department of Defense aircraft intercepted the plane after it entered American airspace and tried unsuccessfully to contact him. Authorities said the plane was nearly out of fuel when Leon landed it near Ellsinore.

The Highway Patrol said Leon got a ride from a passer-by to a store, where he bought a Gatorade and sat at a booth until authorities arrived. He was arrested without incident.

Leon was born Yavuz Berke in Turkey before moving to Canada, changing his name, and becoming a naturalized citizen. He has been described as a good student and well-liked at the Confederation College Flight School in Thunder Bay, Ontario, where the plane was stolen.

He appeared in federal court Thursday for a hearing on whether he was competent to stand trial. Liggett had asked for a mental examination in April, and the judge ordered one. Neither she nor prosecutor D. John Sauer, with the U.S. Attorney's office, would say what the mental evaluators found. Sauer said that is typically under seal.

But through Liggett, Leon did not dispute that he is competent to stand trial. He was ordered detained pending further proceedings.

[2R]

My guess is Guantanimo bay. C*ck meat sandwich from big bob?

Sadly ,prison rape is all too common,no place for a sensitive young boy.