Didn't he land on a closed runway that was under construction, with construction workers on the runway?
"Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) says
he won't guarantee he'll be more vigilant about checking NOTAMs after he landed on a closed runway occupied by maintenance workers ten days ago in Texas. "People who fly a lot just don't do it," Inhofe told the
Tulsa World. (seriously?) "I won't make any commitments." Inhofe added that while "technically" pilots should "probably" check NOTAMs, it would be impractical for him to do so on the many flights he makes to small airports in Oklahoma each year. The FAA has confirmed it is investigating the Oct 21 incident in which Inhofe landed a Cessna 340 on an occupied closed runway at Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport, Texas, He was reportedly carrying three others in the light twin when he made the landing on a runway bearing oversized painted Xs, a large red truck, other vehicles, and construction workers. The workers were using loud equipment at the time and didn't hear the plane's approach, so one person ran to warn them. A supervisor immediately reported the incident to the FAA and told TulsaWorld.com he was "still shaking" when he reached the hangar to confront the pilot. For his part, Inhofe said he didn't see the Xs until late on final and was concerned he might not be able to abort safely. He said he landed "well off to the side" of the workers. There were no injuries.
A few days after his unorthodox arrival, Inhofe Saturday notified "an airport official" of his intent and used a taxiway for departure, according to The Washington Post." Good grief.
Further: "TULSA, Okla.-- Sen.
Jim Inhofe "sky-hopped" his Cessna aircraft over six vehicles and ground personnel as he tried to land last year on a closed runway in Texas, sending frightened airport workers fleeing for their lives, according to federal records and audio clips released Wednesday.
In a new audio clip, construction supervisor Sidney Boyd told the FAA he was on the runway and that the senator "scared" workers and nearly hit a truck before landing.
"I think (the truck driver) actually wet his britches, he was scared to death," Boyd told aviation officials in a tape-recorded call to the FAA. "I mean, hell, he started trying to head for the side of the runway. The pilot could see him, or he should have been able to, he was right on him."
According to Boyd, Inhofe's plane initially touched down, and then "sky hopped" over six vehicles and personnel working on the runway, before landing for good.
In the same call, Boyd described how Inhofe, who has more than 50 years of flying experience, came over after he landed, demanding to know ,"What the hell is this? I was supposed to have unlimited airspace."
The FAA probe found that Inhofe knew the runway was marked closed but "still elected to land, avoiding the men and equipment on the runway."
The new documents also show that Inhofe told investigators at first that he wasn't distracted in the cockpit when the incident occurred but then volunteered that he was "showing a new hire employee seated in the right seat how the technology of the cockpit instrumentation worked ..."
What is one to do? Why, you introduce legislation to stop "overreach" by the mean regulators who made you feel "desperation" after you nearly killed some poor airport workers repairing a closed runway. Sense of being inherently better than other folks? Check. Refusal to admit own stupid mistakes, instead blaming government? Check. Using your government power to solve your own personal problems, rather than worrying about anyone else's? Check!
In 2006, he also ground-looped a Vans RV-8 built by his son.
