Stolen 172 crashed and arrest at Fullerton CA

I’m curious how he managed to get the keys?
 
Ryanb said:
I’m curious how he managed to get the keys?
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You must be new to flying Cessnas.

(Sort of joking - more likely than not he did find a way to get the keys or they were left in the plane, but folks who've been around Cessna's for a bit know other ways.)
 
Ok arm chair lawyers. Real lawyers to. Let’s say there was injuries to bystanders. Whadaya think the odds are the owner will be sued for not properly securing the plane and allowing it to get stolen?
 
luvflyin said:
Ok arm chair lawyers. Real lawyers to. Let’s say there was injuries to bystanders. Whadaya think the odds are the owner will be sued for not properly securing the plane and allowing it to get stolen?
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Unless they left the keys in the ignition and the door unlocked, or left on the counter at the FBO against procedures, and it could be proven that was how it was left, probably slim to zero odds. Even then, I'm not aware of a regulation that requires a small GA plane to be locked/secured. What if you have an open cockpit biplane with a push button starter?
 
The damage to the airplane and fence was minor, officials said.
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Damage to the fence was minor. But it looks like the spinner met the fence. If so that's an engine tear down. I don't think I'd call that minor.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
Damage to the fence was minor. But it looks like the spinner met the fence. If so that's an engine tear down. I don't think I'd call that minor.
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The "officials" are probably used to seeing wrecked cars with crumple zones.
 
luvflyin said:
Ok arm chair lawyers. Real lawyers to. Let’s say there was injuries to bystanders. Whadaya think the odds are the owner will be sued for not properly securing the plane and allowing it to get stolen?
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100%. I have nothing more to add, because that is absolutely what would happen. So, let’s secure our planes out there. It’s for our own good as well as protecting the public. (Oh my gosh. It looks like I just proved you can’t ask a lawyer a question and get a short answer, even when the answer requires only one word.)
 
luvflyin said:
Ok arm chair lawyers. Real lawyers to. Let’s say there was injuries to bystanders. Whadaya think the odds are the owner will be sued for not properly securing the plane and allowing it to get stolen?
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You can sue anyone for anything. You can indict a ham sandwich. In most every plane crash everyone gets sued.

The question is whether the plan tiff would win the case.
 
wsuffa said:
The question is whether the plan tiff would win the case.
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It wouldn't surprise me one bit if a jury found for the plaintiff in such a hypothetical case.
 
Lon33 said:
100%. I have nothing more to add, because that is absolutely what would happen. So, let’s secure our planes out there. It’s for our own good as well as protecting the public. (Oh my gosh. It looks like I just proved you can’t ask a lawyer a question and get a short answer, even when the answer requires only one word.)
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I guess I would be screwed. I leave the keys in the plane and locks in the doors (2) have not worked in decades.......:rolleyes:

Note to myself, think about fixing door locks...:lol::lol:
 
Jeff Oslick said:
FYI, the fence at west end of KFUL is known locally as the #4 wire.
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Loved landing there to take my son to Disney multiple times over the years. The BIGGEST thermal I ever caught in the Tiger was right over the roofs of the factories landing there ... went full flaps, throttle out, slipping and STILL couldn't get down and had to do a go around. Next one descended early and landed a bit long ... all the other AC landing were locking up their brakes to avoid the wall.
 
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I assume he communicated with the control towers at each end? If he's a simulator baby, he did a good job until the end there. I have a hard time spotting FUL from the air.

I bet the owner's aircraft insurance clause has some duty to protect the covered asset -- although insurance companies seem to fear "bad faith" more than "literal interpretation of the policy language", but in this tight market, who knows, maybe they'll ask the questions.
 
The flight was tracked. I can only guess that he communicated with KFUL tower.

Person who flew was supposedly a student pilot. He ended that endeavor pretty quick...

KFUL Crash N4000X.jpeg
 
I always hear the key to the hanger started the plane. Heard there were like five different key patterns for the old cessnas. Probably an embellishment but I have heard they all would fit on a key ring. Plus a screwdriver might would also.


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“The owner did verify that the plane was stolen,” the sergeant said. In fact, the owner was under the impression that the plane was still on a runway at a different airport. He came out and saw the plane was gone.”
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I always park my plane on the runway. Saves on tie down fees.

:D
 
Same airport, same fence, 1969 ... and my VW Beetle. A newly-licensed private pilot botched a go around, hit my car which was parked at our tiedown spot, went through the fence and into the street where he hit another car. Had I not been flying at the time (training for my IR at a different airport), our C-150E would have been hit.

c172_vs_vw.jpg
 
Advantage to old taildragger, simulators prob wouldnt teach em to look for a pull start and they probably wouldnt get her to the runway even if they started it! Lol
 
From conversation with a witness who saw the landing, he pranged that thing pretty hard. He touched down nosewheel first, and bounced about 4 times. He obviously had some training to get out of Chino and to FUL. Unbelievable. That airplane isn't used at any of the training FBOS @ CNO
 
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