Originally Posted by jfill
Thanks for the details G4G5. There is also a raging controversy on Airliners.net about the photos.
Flightaware.com confirms that N222LX flew from KVNY (Van Nuys) to KSSI (Malcolm McKinnon) on April 28, 2006. Returned to KVNY on May 1, 2006.
Do you know anyone at KSSI who can provide more details? Was it being pushed by a tug or a taxi incident? Sink hole or drain cover off?
The aircaft was tugged into it's current location then fuel was added. My guess is that it had around 20,000#'s of fuel on board (half tanks for a G5) at the very most. I am guessing the aircraft weighs around 48,000#'s + the fuel puts it at around 68,000#'s. From what I was told the ramp area that the aircarft fell through was added a few years ago.
The airport authority had not surveyed the area in question because it was added at the last minute. The tarmac was put in place because additional ramp space was need for the G8 summit that occured in 2004. The government required additional ramp space for the dignitary's arrivals and departures (secure area). The airport authority never got a chance to check it properly.
They were trying to go from SSI to the West Coast (LA area)