Posted on 10/11/2005 8:06:47 AM PDT by aculeus
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Gwinnett County police are investigating a stolen charter jet that was located Monday afternoon at Briscoe Airfield in suburban Atlanta.
Police say the 1995 twin-engine Cessna Citation 7 -- valued at $7 million -- was in St. Augustine, Fla., awaiting its next next charter. The pilot reported the plane missing to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The 10-passenger executive jet showed up at Briscoe Airfield between 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 a.m. Sunday. Airport authorities reported it was there after getting getting the bulletin about the missing plane.
Whoever stole the jet did not file a flight plan, which authorities said is unusual for an aircraft that size.
"It had to be somebody that knew or had experience with this type of aircraft," Gwinnett Police Sgt. D. Mattox said. "You can't just walk over from one of these smaller planes and fly this."
The jet suffered damage to the front edge of one wing but was not disabled. Police believe the suspect is an experienced pilot who has flown through Gwinnett County in the past.
The plane was processed by local evidence technicians, who are coordinating the investigation with federal authorities.
An FBI terrorism task force was dispatched to investigate but there is no indication that terrorism was is involved, Mattox said.
The owners -- identified as the Pinnacle Air charter company out of Springdale, Ark. -- were notified and are cooperating in the investigation.
Planes are easy to steal if you know how to fly them, because they usually do not require a key to start the engines, Mattox said.
Copyright 2005 by News4Jax.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Trial run?
hmmmm
Well, Duh...I'm gonna guess that Sgt. Mattox's initial "D" doesn't stand for Dick Tracy.
/sarcasm.
Nope. Just a Rush visit to Daryn.
An airplane goes "missing" for almost a week during wartime (albeit undeclared) and never showed up on a 21st Century radar screen anywhere? I feel safer already!
Now this is a truly bizzare story.
Who the hell steals a 10 person jet and flys to Atlanta of all places?
I could see Las Vegas or the Cayman Islands but ... Atlanta?
Flight plans should be required for all aviation traffic, period.
Roger
For planes like this they ARE reqired.
Possibly ... I can think of several really nasty things that a suidically minded islamic terrorist might do with a fast, maneuverable jet like that.
HAAAA! Good one- and quick, too.
7 millon big ones and no security, ie ignition key?
What's wrong with this picture?
God bless his soul, but we need Maxwell Smart on this one!
Calling Agent 99! GET SMART....DON'T GET STUCK ON STUPID!
MS Flight Simulator ! and you, homey, can steal your very own jet for you and the brothers.
"Trial run?"
Thinking the same thing.
Driving plans should be required for all automotive traffic, period.
Might it have been used to smuggle drugs?
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