Very Short Flight Ends With Forced Landing, Animosity
As pilots, we all know
how strong the urge can be to "show off" for our friends and
passengers who aren't necessarily familiar, or similarly
enthralled, with flying. The following should serve as a cautionary
tale for anyone ever tempted to do just that.
Nanette Meaux has filed a lawsuit for an unspecified amount in
damages in Collier County Circuit Court against pilot Roger Borg,
claiming that she suffered needless injury after a short ride in
Borg's Aventura II experimental plane resulted in a forced landing
on July 10, 2004.
Meaux maintains the plane (file photos of type, below) was never
supposed to have left the ground of the Naples, FL, airport in the
first place, and that Borg had told her he was only going to taxi
the aircraft.
According to a statements from the lawsuit reported by the
Naples Daily News, Borg had initially asked Meaux to stop by to
check out the airplane he had just built, before an appointment she
had at the airport. Meaux agreed, expecting "only to see Borg's
experimental aircraft and for him (to) describe and explain its
features and functions."
For her trouble, Borg then offered to take Meaux across the
field to her appointment, by taxiing his aircraft. What was
allegedly only supposed to be a fast-taxi quickly turned into
flying, though, when according to the NTSB report on the incident
Borg applied full throttle and took off down runway 23.
Meaux claims she objected instantly, but Borg proceeded with the
climb out. At approximately 100 feet off the ground, however, the
engine began to surge and it became clear the airplane wasn't
performing properly. He then attempted to do a 180 to do a
"precautionary landing" back on the runway, resulting in a hard
landing at the end of the runway.
Borg was uninjured in the incident. Meaux left the scene in an
ambulance, however, suffering a back injury from the
experience.
Her lawsuit claims that Borg "did not receive any formal
training in the maintenance, repair, use or operation of the
experimental vehicle," though Meaux says Borg had claimed
proficiency in the operation of the Aventura II.
Both the NTSB report and the lawsuit maintain Borg never
received permission from the airport control tower to do anything
other than taxi on the ground. Although a violation like an
unapproved takeoff requires the airport to notify the FAA, no
record of such a notification has been found.
The NTSB report also gives no indication of blame for Borg's
piloting skills in the incident, nor does it state that any action
was or should be taken towards pulling Borg's ticket.
Meaux and Borg have both been unwilling to comment further,
pending the outcome of the lawsuit.