Claimed Bonanza Was His Before Taking Off From Taxiway
Police in Athens, TX made a
startling revelation this week while investigating the downing of a
Beech A36 Bonanza: the plane had been stolen.
The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports Joshua Paul Calhoun, 25,
suffered only minor injuries when the Bonanza came down hard in a
field Wednesday near the Athens Municipal Airport (F44). In fact,
he was even able to return to the airport on foot... where police
were waiting.
That's because airport personnel notified authorities shortly
after Calhoun showed up at the airport, claiming he had just
purchased the aircraft... and took off from a taxiway.
"He was trying to start it, and an airport employee came over
and helped him out," Athens Police Dept. Sgt. Don Yarbrough told
the paper. "He taxied from the location on the tarmac and took off
from there and not the runway itself."
As Calhoun flew an erratic pattern low over the field, airport
workers called the plane's owner, who told them no one had
permission to fly the Bonanza. By the time Calhoun walked back to
the airport, the police had arrived.
"Our officers were out there taking the report when they looked
up and saw his truck driving away," Yarbrough said. "He saw the
officers, stepped out of the truck, which was still in gear and
kept going, and walked toward the officers. The officers had to run
after the truck to stop it."
Calhoun gave an interesting account of how the incident
unfolded. He claims he wired $52,000 to someone over the Internet
to buy the Bonanza (file photo of type shown below), and showed up
at the airport to take possession. After being read his Miranda
rights by officers, Calhoun proceeded to tell them the plane was
his... and that he had landed, and let someone else fly the plane
before it crashed.
"The only problem with the friend that he said was flying is he
was one of our locals who has been deceased about a year,"
Yarbrough said.
After being checked out at a local hospital, Calhoun was charged
with theft in excess of $200,000... a felony.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 5470V
Make/Model: BE36 Description: 36
Bonanza
Date: 03/04/2009 Time: 1400
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury:
Minor Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: ATHENS State: TX Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, 2 MILES FROM
ATHENS, TX
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
1 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: DALLAS, TX
(SW05)
Entry date: 03/05/2009