Having a bad day-Baja Bush folks

[Dave Siciliano]

Shared with us from one of the guys on the Beechlist.

Best,

Dave

It was not a good day for Jack"El Jeffe" McCormick head of the Baja Bush Pilots Association.



He witnessed a P210 being stolen from Mulege. Later that day he flew his Aero Commander to another Mexican airport and on landing the main gear collapsed. Nose gear stayed down so the props didn't hit the ground. He got a fork lift and lifted the airplane up and got the main gear down and locked. He parked the airplane on the ramp and left for home. Later got a call and was told that a corporate jet had blown his Commander into a hangar. Much damage.

 

[SCCutler]

Aww, man. Did they get the tail number of the jet?

 

[alaskaflyer]

I read once that 200 series Cessnas are the most stolen aircraft in the western hemisphere, and that owners of 200 series C's should "avoid traveling to Mexico and Central America or else exercise caution" for that reason.

Small jets seem to blow over small planes more often that I originally thought, that is third account of a happening I've heard since summer (one of which involved a friend of mine, who was in his plane at the time )

 

[Dave Siciliano]

From the Beech list.

Dave

The Bonanza Jack McCormick was searching for is a P35, N9667Y. It is co-owned and was apparently being flown by Gary Thomas from around here.
Thomas bought it in early 2004 from a client of my CFI. I flew that very aircraft to Kitty Hawk and back in December 2003.

As of today the S&R is over and they have decided it's in the Sea of Cortez.
Gary and his wife Peggy have been missing for over 3 weeks and are presumed dead. They were in Baja helping with flood relief, I believe. Very sad.