Sad Story

[Woodennickle]

I received an email and then called the gentleman that I sold my daughters Kitfox IV Speedster to last summer. He informed me that the airport manager where he kept the plane took it out flying without his permission and while showing off at another airstrip, crashed it into the trees. He was just sick about it, and so was I when he told me about it. How can someone just take another persons plane without asking? He is now trying to get compensation for the plane the the guy that wrecked it says " Things happen". I told him he needs to get a lawyer and go after him. I think he has a good case, he says the airworthyness certificate, registration and weight and balance were not in the plane at the time, they were at his house. It was a beautiful plane that was a lot of fun to fly, I feel so sorry for the guy, I know he loved that little fox a lot.
Just wanted to share and warn, be careful who can get access to your plane, you never know what might happen to it when you are not around.

[DesertFox4]

I told him he needs to get a lawyer and go after him.

I agree with your advice.

[kitfoxnick]

Is this the one on AIG salvage now? N130JL.

[wannafly]

That is a sad story. Does insurance cover something like this? I know on my policie always asks if I want the "Hijack/terrorist" coverage. I usually decline but hearing this maybe I should reconsider...

[szicree]

Don't they have police where he lives? Around here I'm pretty sure its against the law to steal ~$50,000 worth of anything. The guy that did it needs to be prosecuted for grand theft. Its a safe bet that part of his plea deal will be to pay full restitution.

[Woodennickle]

I don't know much more than I shared. I told him I would have called police, and to get a lawyer. Insurance won't cover from what he told me. It was 6844B, beautiful little plane.

[rogerh12]

This must be the same guy that called me a while back, trying to decide if he wanted to do an insurance buy back on the plane (and if I wanted the parts, I had an ad on barstormers asking for kitfox parts), so he did get money for it from the insurance company.

If it's the same guy, he said the FBO was also the mechanic and was working on his plane, but was not to be flying it for fun and screwing around, which is how he flew it into the trees.

Roger

[Woodennickle]

Rodger, sounds a little simular. He told me it was his CFI not the mechanic and that the CFI has asked for a set of keys and he told him no. He was out of town and CFI (also airport manager) somehow (wouldn't be hard to do) was able to take the plane for a joy ride and flew it into trees. Also from what he told me, the guy had put about 12hrs on it while he was gone. He told me the insurance wouldn't cover it, so I told him to get a lawyer and go after him, which is what I would have done from the start.

[rwaltman]

I received an email ...

Sad indeed - Even if he is compensated, an experimental aircraft is not something you can just drive to the mall and buy another one.

This post convinced me to get a throttle lock for my KF.

Roberto. (Catching up with old posts)