lol, human stupidity never ceases to amaze, or entertain me...
While I was in Portland, a friend of mine showed me the website
http://www.darwinawards.com
Honorable Mentions:
(29 January 2001, Guyana) There's a time and a place for everything. But attacking your ex-lover with a knife while he is piloting a plane in mid-air is generally regarded as both the wrong time and the wrong place. Particularly by the other occupants of the aircraft.
Sharon, 21, was "suffering from a broken heart" when she stabbed her ex-lover and current pilot in the neck and shoulder. Fortunately for all concerned, a female passenger flying with her nine-year-old daughter wrested the knife from her hand, and the wounded pilot managed to land the four-seat Cessna plane safely.
Could she possibly have been unaware of the danger of attacking the pilot while in mid-air? Whether ignorant or suicidal, Sharon, who makes her living as "a star reporter," is advised to stick to writing headlines instead of making them.
Or
(13 September 2000, Indiana) The antics of an unidentified Lafayette pilot are surely a source of private chagrin to his relatives. During his fly-by-night escapades, the jovial aviator enjoyed circling an area of town and toasting the people below with Coors beer. This time he went too far.
He was flying his Ultra Light aircraft over a small section of homes, saluting the spectators with his beer can, when he smashed into a homeowner's huge TV tower. It is a mystery how he could fail to notice the 150-foot structure, particularly as it was topped with a gaudy Christmas tree star, but fail to notice it he did. The aircraft knocked a a 45-foot section out of the tower, sliced through three steel cables, and dove to within 40 feet of the ground before the embarrassed pilot managed to regain control and fly away.
The Red Baron caused about $4000 of damage. Although his identity is unknown, several clues were found at the scene: his left shoe, sunglasses, and a can of Coors Light were among the debris left by the plane. A compass and speedometer were also found. Police are baffled by the crash, and not sure whether to consider criminal charges. Lt. Rick Blacker said, "I don't think an Ultra Light would classify as a vehicle."
The next time you are in Indiana, look for a guy with only one shoe and holding a beer. He just might be the mystery marauder.
And the best one:
(February 1981, California) Phoenix Field airport in Fair Oaks had been subject to recurring petty thefts from neighborhood teenagers, so a security firm was retained to patrol the grounds. Thefts decreased sharply, but fuel consumption was on the rise. This puzzling situation continued until late one night, when a passerby noticed a flaming airplane on the field.
By the time the fire department arrived, the plane had completely melted into the tarmac. While they extinguished the residual flames, the passerby noticed a uniformed figure lying facedown several yards away. It was a security guard!
He was revived and questioned.
Turns out he had been siphoning fuel from small planes to use in his car. The plane he selected that night had a unique fuel storage system involving hollow, baffled wing spars. When the determined guard shoved the siphon in, it stubbed against the first baffle. No matter how he twisted, pushed, and pulled the hose, he could not siphon any fuel from the plane.
Exasperated, he lit a match to see inside the tank... and the rest is history.
Matt
"A bit of a pickle" - British translation: A catastrophically bad situation with potentially fatal consequences.
PETA
People Eating Tasty Animals.
B1 (Cat C) licenced engineer, Boeing 737NG 600/700/800/900 Airbus A318/19/20/21 and Dash8 Q-400
1. Captain, if the problem is not entered into the technical logbook.........then the aircraft does not have a problem.
2. And, if you have time to write the fault on a napkin and attach to it to the yoke.........you have time to write it in the tech log....see point 1.
