APRIL 13--Newly released Federal Aviation Administration documents and audiotapes shed a scary new light on a bizarre incident late last year during which U.S. Senator James Inhofe landed his Cessna on a closed runway at a south Texas airport, scattering construction workers who ran for their lives as the politician’s plane hopscotched over them and six vehicles.
The FAA material, provided in response to a TSG Freedom of Information Act request, details how Inhofe, 76, chose to land on the main runway at the Cameron County Airport on October 21 despite being aware that it was closed and had a large ‘X’ on its threshold.
The politician, the FAA investigation determined, “still elected to land avoiding the men and the equipment on the runway.” In a bid to avoid “legal enforcement action,” Inhofe, who has a commercial pilot’s license, agreed to “complete a program of remedial training,” according to an FAA letter sent in January to Inhofe, a third-term Republican senator from Oklahoma. Inhofe is pictured at right.
Shortly after Inhofe landed, Sidney Boyd, who was supervising construction on the closed runway, called the FAA to report that Inhofe’s plane, a twin-engine six-seater, initially touched down on the runway and then “'sky hopped' over the six vehicles and personnel working on the runway, and then landed.”
During the call, which was recorded by the FAA, Boyd said Inhofe’s antics “scared the crap out of” workers, adding that the Cessna “damn near hit” a red truck. Referring to the vehicle’s driver, Boyd added, “I think he actually wet his britches, he was scared to death. I mean, hell, he started trying to head for the side of the runway. The pilot could see him, or he should have been able to, he was right on him.”
Boyd also said that Inhofe showed little contrition following the close call. “He come over here and started being like, 'What the hell is this? I was supposed to have unlimited airspace.'”
Listen to an excerpt of Boyd’s FAA call here:
During a conversation with a second FAA representative, Boyd said, “As much work as I do on airports and runways, it’s the first time I’ve ever had this happen.” Inhofe, he added, “knew the runway was closed…he started to land on the north end, he just went right over a huge yellow ‘X’ and he was coming down right in the middle of us, and he finally, somebody noticed us waving at him I guess.”
“He sky hopped over us,” said Boyd. “He was determined to land on that runway come hell or high water evidently.” He added, “I’m still shaking…I was in the middle of the runway, I headed for high country.”
Listen to an excerpt of Boyd’s call with the second FAA worker here:
In a recorded conversation with Lee Williams, an FAA quality assurance specialist, airport manager Marshall Reece tore into Inhofe’s piloting. “I’ve got over 50 years flying, three tours of Vietnam,” Reece said, “and I can assure you I have never seen such a reckless disregard for human life in my life.” He then added, “Something needs to be done. This guy is famous for these violations.”
Listen to an excerpt of Reece’s conversation with Williams here:
FAA records indicate that while Inhofe has landed at the Port Isabel airport on more than five occasions, he had not been the subject of prior enforcement actions. When questioned by FAA investigators if there had been any distractions in the cockpit before he landed on the closed runway, Inhofe “did volunteer that he was showing a new hire employee seated in the right seat how the technology of the cockpit instrumentation worked.”
Another recording captured a transmission from an air traffic controller who offered a concise account of Inhofe’s antics flying his 1978 Cessna (tail number N115EA): “N115 Echo Alpha landed right in the middle of them doing their work on runway 1331 and damn near killed somebody out there.”
In a statement today, Inhofe said, "This is an old story, and the FAA and I have long consider the matter closed." Noting that his "dealings with the FAA did not constitute an admission nor an adjudication of a violation," Inhofe added, "I have completed the program required by the FAA, and this matter is over." (5 pages)
Comments (16)
Submitted by BeanerECMO on Wed, 2011-04-13 16:44.He too freakin' old to be flying his own plane. The people on the runway were fortunate. Had he just caused himself harm...but he put other people's lives in danger. There is global warming, but it's between his headset, obviously.Submitted by itzik on Wed, 2011-04-13 16:09.Everybody does dumb things and I am not into punishing someone the times they are lucky enough that no one gets hurt. Life is a series of near misses - just one more!Submitted by Daryl on Wed, 2011-04-13 15:44.Inhofe is an A-HOLE ! The idiots of OK need to recall this piece of crap immmediately. He was obviously drunk when he landed; IF HE IS UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN'T LAND ON A CLOSED RUNWAY HE IS CLEARLY INCOMPETENT TO REPRESENT YOU AND MUST BE RECALLED. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FLIGHT TRAINING; HE LACKS BASIC COMMON SENSE AND HAS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR YOUR LIFE AND EVERYONE ELSES !!!Submitted by tnmccoy on Wed, 2011-04-13 15:26.Another show of Democrat arrogance. Inhofe should have his pilot's license suspended for at least six months if not permanently. He never even apologized to the people involved or the public, let alone explained his actions.Submitted by Darth Vader on Wed, 2011-04-13 16:50.tnmccoy....You have got to be one of the world's dumbest posters, right up there will all of your other compatriots!Submitted by mort_sinclair on Wed, 2011-04-13 16:33.Another show of Republican illiteracy. Go back and reread. Slowly this time. You'll find Inhofe is, not surprisingly, a Republican.Submitted by Working Liberal on Wed, 2011-04-13 15:50.Read the article next time. He is not a Democrat even though it would not suprise me if it was. Politicians do whatever they darn well please.Submitted by Drake Jones on Wed, 2011-04-13 14:44.A Democrat would intentionally land on a runway under construction and say "Oh my god! I am so sorry! My mistake!" That CYA would be a typical show of Democrat lily-livered, yellow belled cowardice. Now, a Republican lands, nearly kills people, blames the victims for it and screams "What the HELL is wrong with you people!" That sums up nicely the “conservative” view of reality. Inhofe would do well on the US Supreme Court. I’ll admit that there are a lot of idiot Democrats, but there are just so many more idiot Republicans that it makes the Dems look like geniuses. For example: BIRTHER KOOKS 2012! Palin Oh-12! Michele “Loopy” Bachman 2012! Trump for Hair Club President 2012! Rush Limbaugh 2012! (Pounds) And hey, remember GW Bush?Submitted by Edward Jeszka on Wed, 2011-04-13 14:29.The FAA is corrupt. They revoke certificates from innocent folks or folks having done nothing that would compare wiith the actions of the Senator. He gets a pass and they lose their livliehoods, and professions. Maybe we need to close the FAA down and start fresh with real honest to goodness inspectors and management not the buffoons running it now.Submitted by labazro on Wed, 2011-04-13 12:29.I live in Oklahoma and i wish I could say this surprised me. Inofe and his ideas scare lots of people on the ground. His my way or drop dead attitude apparently affects even his piloting. The man is a politicition through and through; he'd be scary in either party. Not a surprise being a republican appeals to him though.Submitted by MrHate on Wed, 2011-04-13 11:32.Hey Mo Ma: I've got some news for you. Most physicians (including proficient surgeons) are registered Republicans. I would suggest that you run your tired stereotypical left-wing rants to the next surgeon that has to operate on you.Submitted by chicagorob1 on Wed, 2011-04-13 11:53.Just ignore Mo Ma' - If the story is about cute albino bunnies, Indonesian belly dancers or deep-fried tofu burgers - he would still somehow try to relate it to Republicans, tax loopholes and doctors. There's a screw loose somewhere...Submitted by Working Liberal on Wed, 2011-04-13 15:55.And here's Mo Ma with more thoughts from his mothers basement.Submitted by Mo Ma' on Wed, 2011-04-13 11:17.Most Republican politicians think and work like this guy lands a plane...hop..skip..jump...flip-flop...loop-de-loop through the rich tax relief hoop....haphazardly try to put things on the ground where there is no room....putting everyone in jeopardy....thank God most proficient surgeons and physicians are not Republican voters...nor droopy-eyed drooling teabaggers...Submitted by I.M. Jussayin on Wed, 2011-04-13 11:02.You folks finally have a real politician to beat up over political leanings instead of ascribing imaginative party associations to nobodies! What a great day! He's a Republican... you know how THEY are... always hopping over the common working man with their twin-engined a/c.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Inhofe "Scared The Crap Out Of" Airport Workers | The Smoking Gun
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