Early on Friday morning, authorities arrested an intoxicated pilot for an untimely landing of a small flight at Kansas City in Missouri. The pilot claimed that he was running out of fuel. The landing at 2:30 in the morning shut down the westbound lanes of the highway for more than two and a half hours.
The arrest report states that the pilot was taken into custody on the assumption of DWI, irresponsible and careless behaviour that was responsible for the crash. Moreover, MSHP records shows pilot may face six possible charges
- DWI
- C and I involving a crash
- Felony possession of a controlled substance
- Felony unlawful possession of a firearm
- Possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana
- Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia
No major injury to the pilot
The pilot is believed to have flown from Florida and was en route to Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City. The trip seemed to be a homecoming to Kansas City. There was just the pilot in the aircraft. He was treated at a hospital after his arrest for minor wounds that he suffered during the landing.
The aircraft was spotted multiple times at night. It was near Corinth, Mississippi at around 10:20. One hour later, it was at Sommerville, Tennessee, and then late at night near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, and Camdenton, Missouri. However, there is no information about when the flight was back in Kansas City.
According to Crystal Lipham, she was operating a tractor-trailer westbound on I-70 when she noticed a small jet circling nearby. She said, “Right now, I’m in a state of shock. I’m like did that really happen or did I dream that. All I can say is he one lucky SOB because if he had hit that plane just right and he didn’t hit when he did, he would’ve gone over the barrier and there was like a 20-foot drop.” The situation is still under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.