Parks PA-16 On Illinois Golf Course
An Illinois pilot has
some explaining to do, after landing his Piper PA-16 Clipper on a
snow-covered golf course this weekend so his son could make it to a
nearby tennis club on time.
The Chicago Tribune reports Robert Kadera, 65, may have taken
the name of the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort's golf course --
Crane's Landing -- a bit too literally. Kadera's 14-year-old son,
Isaac, told reporters his father came up with the idea of flying
the ski-equipped aircraft to his Saturday afternoon tennis lesson,
as Isaac would have been late if he'd ridden along with friends in
a car.
Witnesses called police when they saw the aircraft circling the
golf course. Isaac said his father tried to land the plane twice,
before alighting on the 7th Hole fairway on the third try.
"I wasn't really scared. My dad's a good pilot," Isaac said.
(Hey, we're impressed -- that hole is a Par 5 --
Ed.)
Police -- who initially feared they were responding to an
accident scene -- met the two as they walked across the golf course
to The Lincolnshire Club, across the street from the Marriott.
Authorities expressed wonderment at Kadera's audacity.
"We're all pretty dumbfounded," said Lincolnshire Police Chief
Randy Melvin. "I don't have any idea what the guy was thinking.
..... He was going to park his plane across the street like nobody
would notice."
Kadera wasn't allowed to take off from the golf course. A towing
service was called out to the course Saturday to lift the plane
(file photo of type shown above) onto a flatbed, and take it to a
nearby wrecking yard.
"We've towed planes before, but not under these circumstances,"
said Marcy Vole, manager at Ernie's Wrecker Service in Vernon
Hills. Kadera dismantled the plane Monday, so he could transport it
back home.
FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the agency will
investigate the incident, and may also consider punitive action
against Kadera -- including revoking his certification. He also
faces a slew of charges from local authorities, including
trespassing, as Kadera did not ask permission to land on the golf
course.
As for Isaac... well, he never did make it to his tennis lesson,
which was supposed to be a tuneup with a friend before tryouts for
the school team Monday. Even worse, his friend didn't believe his
excuse... which, admittedly, does sound a bit far-fetched, even for
golf.
"I left my friend hanging," Isaac said. "He still doesn't
believe me when I told him why."
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 5628H
Make/Model: PA16 Description: PA-16
Clipper
Date: 03/01/2008 Time: 1949
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury:
None Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: LINCOLNSHIRE State: IL
Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE UNDER UNKNOWN
CIRCUMSTANCES,
LINCOLNSHIRE, IL
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 2 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: NOT REPORTED
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase:
Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: WEST CHICAGO, IL
(GL03)
Entry date: 03/03/2008
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