Stolen King Air still flying as of 8:38am on Sat (9-3-22)

Im seeing “Patterson, (Cory or Corey)” View attachment 110160 on social media.
He’s not a pilot, he’s a ramp rat. I’ve known him for 10-15 years. He went into work to open the fbo this morning, pulled the king air out, and took off before the tower opened.

This isn’t him… nobody knows what triggered him, but I hope he gets mental help.
 
To deadstick a king air in a "good landing" this wasn't just a run of the mill suicidal plane thief. Dude evidently knew his way around king airs, how to feather, etc.
He rode right seat in it a good bit with one of the local CFIs. I’m sure he engines are toast, but still
 
Get ready for the "we have to do something" political **** storm that is sure to follow.

Yep. Happening now. Reputable (?) news source is reporting on that now. Ugh. Not political yet, but the questions around airport security has def come up.
 
Yep. Happening now. Reputable (?) news source is reporting on that now. Ugh. Not political yet, but the questions around airport security has def come up.

If they didn’t do anything about a ramper stealing a Q400 out of one of the busiest airports in the country they sure aren’t going to do anything about this guy.

Better this guy stole an airplane and threatened to crash it into a walmart instead of walking into said walmart with a gun and no warning.
 
Depressing that there are people in aviation who see an incident end without casualties and think "bummer".

Hopefully the lack of serious injury or violence will make the calls to "do something!" less strident.
 
I'm saying that he walks after therapy and stays on his meds. And everybody's insurance goes up. He watched too much "Airplane repo".
 
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I'm saying that he walks after therapy and stays on his meds. And everybody's insurance goes up. He watched too much "Airplane repo".

Something tells me he won't be getting high quality rehab or meds.

Also admire the skill to land the King Air in a field and walk away, even if it's in cuffs. Wonder why he didn't just go back to the airport and land on a runway. I guess the drama had to end on a flourish.
 
Something tells me he won't be getting high quality rehab or meds.

Also admire the skill to land the King Air in a field and walk away, even if it's in cuffs. Wonder why he didn't just go back to the airport and land on a runway. I guess the drama had to end on a flourish.
My old boss (12000hr ATP) talked him down
 
Perhaps all the ramp rats, A&P mechanics, FBO managers, etc. should be required to have a current medical to prove their physical good health and mental stability ... :rolleyes:
 
He’s not a pilot, he’s a ramp rat. I’ve known him for 10-15 years. He went into work to open the fbo this morning, pulled the king air out, and took off before the tower opened.

This isn’t him… nobody knows what triggered him, but I hope he gets mental help.
I'm really glad the guy you know survived this event, even if he deserves prison time for it.
 
I will never understand the personal outrage some people will get over these kinds of things.

Nobody got hurt, hopefully the owners were insured. Heck, maybe it's even salvageable- probably not but who knows. The important thing is that everyone is OK and I wish this guy and everyone else involved well.
 
I will never understand the personal outrage some people will get over these kinds of things....

with someone stealing a multi-million dollar airplane and endangering his own life as well as potentially a lot of other innocent people who have nothing to do with this person's problems, that will most likely end up with some sort of stupid regulations being discussed if not forced upon everyone else who had nothing to do with the incident? seems kind of outrageous to me.
 
I mean, skyKing got a Q400 launched out of SeaTac single pilot in spite of all the self-important SIDA bullshee present at oNe tWenTy oNe ops airports. Not sure anything of consequence would come for these small fry 91/135 ops, as a result of one commandeered upsized Cessna 310, especially given 9/11 didn't even do it.
 
Guy is likely going to prison for a while, but the relief his loved ones felt -- especially after the apparent "goodbye" messages -- must have been indescribable.[/QUOTEd]

Double he will do much prison time.
 
It’s unfortunate that the entire aviation community will have to pay for this individual’s discretion. Hopefully he gets the help he needs.
 
What kind of ‘help’ fixes this type of thing in a human? Talk, drugs - just curious?
 
What kind of ‘help’ fixes this type of thing in a human? Talk, drugs - just curious?

unfortunately probably more views, likes and subscribers. and I'm only half joking, maybe less than half.
 
Yes maybe. The last 2 years has shown that a lot of people were on the edge and have finally went over.
Oldest daughter is a nurse that worked in a Covid ward until she couldn’t stand it any longer. We were chatting the other day and I told her there’s more to come. Everything tight will become loose, and everything loose will come undone.
 
Oldest daughter is a nurse that worked in a Covid ward until she couldn’t stand it any longer. We were chatting the other day and I told her there’s more to come. Everything tight will become loose, and everything loose will come undone.

Well, staff nursing has always had high burnout/turnover. My wife is about to start at a trauma step down unit and she's been forewarned. She's excited as all new nurses are, but I'll be here to manage her expectations when the invariable "I'm done with this, I'm changing gears" occurs. I'll "there there" it and she can get back to a more home friendly schedule. *cranes neck and checks six* Of course, we'll keep this between you and I. :D

One thing is true, they're throwing cash at people right now in every industry with staffing shortages. Her starting wage would have been unheard of with her entry level of experience a mere 3 years ago. Lord knows we are behind the 8-ball in team DoD; I'm sitting at -5% adjusted for inflation in 2022, likely another paycut in 2023 inflation-adjusted based on what they're throwing around (a meager 4.6). Our retention is in the tubes as a result, and so are the jobs my wife just got hired into.

Traveling nurses are cleaning the clock outta hospitals right now. But that too will come to an end; I'm just happy my wife got a musical chair and locked in a high entry wage before the music stops again. It's already started for IT white collar types and their WFH, middle-america-housing-inflating shtick. Real estate is adjusting already. Up and down we go in this wacked out economic merry go round we call America in the 2020s.

Now back to our regular programming of pearl-clutching about mental health primary/second tier costs, while smearing the mentally ill. The irony behind that schizophrenic dichotomy does not escape me either.
 
What kind of ‘help’ fixes this type of thing in a human? Talk, drugs - just curious?
Both. But the main issue is that the person accepts the situation and works toward managing it. Many people do this. Unfortunately, the stigma of mental illness also stops a number of people from seeking the help in the first place. On the other side of the spectrum are people who "know" they have problems but decide that is not for them so they refuse their meds and get drawn into some of the current social issues out there now.
 
Wow.
Funny how these stories catch and hold our attention-pilots and mere humans, alike ;)

Relieved and happy no one was seriously hurt.

Obviously a cry for help. That doesn’t excuse the threat to crash into a Walmart, of course. This “pilot” ‘s life is effectively over. He’ll go to prison, and emerge even less employable. Prison will be a brutal experience for an unstable, previously gainfully employed, non career criminal

Even with a king air- his payload is less than what a sprinter van holds. Folks deliberately crash cars and trucks into buildings, or do so while intoxicated, and it barely registers on our national consciousness
Think of what Anne Heche did-in a Mini!- endangering folks in two vehicles she hit, almost hitting a pedestrian, and destroying a house (and herself) in a fiery crash
That should be our message. Even king airs don’t carry much compared to a sprinter van, much less kill or injure ~850 innocents as McVeigh did with a Ford medium duty truck. Or even what the Nashville bomber did with an RV, more recently.
 
That's always been the Achilles heel of this hobby in the minds of the pedestrians that outvote us. We fly the equivalents of 9/11 airliners in their consciousness, when as you point out, these contraptions don't have the kinetic damage potential of a yukon XL filled with soccer equipment.
 
a (reputable?) news source is covering it now.... Looks like he's over some national park now
Holly Springs National Forest
NFs are managed by the Department of Agriculture. Lots to unpack there.

Federal time too.

Is this just theft or is it terrorism?

with the threat to crash into a building, I’d guess he can be charged, and likely convicted, of attempted terrorism

ktup-flyer
Missed your point about Cory Peterson and flight training
This person today is the one who got student pilot privileges, who was living in Shannon MS years ago?
Can you tell us more about the “talk down”?
 
What kind of ‘help’ fixes this type of thing in a human? Talk, drugs - just curious?
Why not both?

But seriously - the effects of the right combination of medication and therapy really can be life changing, and bring enormous positive change to the lives of people and those around them.
 
It is hard enough to find ramp that can pass a drug screen, let alone a medical….

which is why I'm not seriously worried they'll make changes to hiring requirements for ramp/linepeople. It's already a failed proposition at 121 proximate airports, 91/135 ops aren't going to face much backlash over this. Considering the pay, even more of a non-starter. Not condoning taking a lax eye at mental health, but money talks at the end of the day.
 
these contraptions don't have the kinetic damage potential of a yukon XL filled with soccer equipment.
Strategically placed concrete planter pots can stop most vehicles though. Unless you want Walmart posting min wage guards on the roof with manpads.
 
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