A pilot making a crash landing at a small airport managed to clip the rear of a Toyota Prius – with two sight-seeing occupants inside – before continuing on to hit a utility pole, sheering off the wing and coming to a halt. Then, without hesitation, the pilot grabbed a large bag and fled the scene.
With the conclusion of the introduction to this story we have now apparently witnessed the advent of a new type of crime: the fly and run – according to the Prius driver that smoke with Daily Camera.
The pilot, flying a small single-engine plane, reportedly came into contact with the ground prior to reaching the runway. After making contact, the plane quickly changed directions and headed straight for a Prius that was parked watching the planes land and take off.
According to the Prius driver, Ken Marcoux, once he saw the plane was heading straight for him he had only an instant to smash his gas pedal and accelerate just enough to keep the plane from likely killing his wife in the front passenger seat. Because of the few feet Marcoux managed to cover, the wing tip ended up breaking the rear window and smashing the rear quarter panel on its way to continue to the field beyond.
The plane then smashed into a utility pole, removing one wing, and then came to a stop. It was at that time that the pilot quickly exited the plane, grabbed what was described as a large, black satchel and then quickly fled the scene by foot.
The pilot eventually – some four to five hours later – called the FAA to properly report the incident. The incident has sparked a debate over jurisdiction between federal and local authorities, and at this time no charges have been filed against the pilot as the investigation is on-going.
References
1. ‘Plane hits cats at Boulder…’ view
Source: Leftlane