Kalgoorlie aircraft thief jailed!.

[the wizard of auz]

The bloke that stole and crashed an aircraft from the Kalgoorlie airport two years ago, was jailed today.
Mr.Turner, being a PPL although not current or twin rated, stole a cessna 337 owned by murchison relines, a company he was employed by at the time, and attempted to fly to Esperance. after becoming lost he landed on a road and went to the pub and started drinking with some of the farming community. he then enlisted their help to jumpstart the aircraft and attempted a take off from the road, resulting in a crash and destruction of the aircraft.
On a personal note, Mr. Turkey was a pax on a flight I did in the very same aircraft, three days earlier. After he informed me he was the holder of a PPL I offered him the right hand seat as an obsever. I was so concerned with his conduct during the flight that at the first refueling stop, I repositioned him to seat six row three. He was found to be a strange bloke by all that had anything to do with him on the trip, and in my own opinion, was mentally unstable. He was lucky to get away with a prang and not hurt himself, or more importantly, anyone else.
I hope he gets a 250lb fairy as a cell mate for wrecking Grasshopper. she was a good old bus that I enjoyed flying.
(although she was a good old truck, I don't know where the press got the $200,000 figure from.........strewth, I could buy three of them for that money).

[poteroo]

Wiz,


Anyone who manages to end up in Lake King on a direct Kalgoorlie - Esperance flight must have been long since out of PPL currency. Clearly, you didn't give him any nav tips!

Does make you wonder though about the culpability of people who would help anyone start and fly an aircraft after boozing with him. What were they thinking - if anything!

I'd say that there wouldn't be too many people around who don't know that there is no 0.05 for flying.

happy days,

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Maybe Wiz did give him nav tips ( just jokes ).

[the wizard of auz]

Actually, LHRT, might have something there. On the leg he was in the front with me, I went IFR............ I Followed the Railway line from Kalgoorlie to Forrest. so maybe theres a railway line that goes from Kal to Lake king. ;) :}

[Towering Q]

Justice at last.

Wiz, any idea how long this idiot will spend inside? I would like to have heard some of the evidence. Definitely one of the more unusual cases to pass through the Kalgoorlie Court House.

It's a pity the Grass Hopper ended up in the hands of this fool. She was a great old bus. That A model interior always reminded me of the inside of my Pop's XP Falcon. Even had an 'old plane' smell, especially if it rained overnight.

[the wizard of auz]

I think it was a couple of years........ I hope he gets more for being an idiot whilst inside.
I know what you mean about the XP dashboard. you had a handfull whenever you pulled or pushed anything, and being white the knobs where great to locate in low light situations. ;)
I think the interior smell was just the crew we were carting around. :}
Could you believe this, but during the discovery phase his defense team rang me and wanted to put me on the stand. I told em sure, but it wont be good for him as I would let everyone know he was mentally unstable and deny all his claims about flight training recieved by me and the other pilot. then informed them in my opinion he was nothing but a lieing skunk and I hope he got the book dropped on him from a great height............................. they never rang me back. ;)

[Towering Q]

Wiz on the stand, brings a whole new meaning to the term 'hostile witness'.:E

Ah yes, that 'crew' smell. It was a combination of alcohol, ciggies, grease/oil, more alcohol and cheap deodorant. Good pax though, never scared by a bit of weather, :ooh: probably too drunk.

[Titan Driver]

May old Grasshopper finally RIP . Is her sister "Q" still getting around? and what of her ugly cousin "J" What has become of MR? Need to catch up on the goss :ok:

[the wizard of auz]

"Q" had a paint job and was for sale last I heard. "J" is parked up at YPJT, still being used and is also for sale..........loudest peice of machinery I ever drove.
there were some large changes made to MR just after I left, I still see their trucks getting around up my way, so I guess they are still operating.

[itchybum]

Not the first aircraft stolen from KG. And at least this idiot walked away from it unlike the case of the 310 that was nicked a few years back.

[the wizard of auz]

certainly not the first. I was hanging around with the wrong people in kal when I was a kid, and two of them got to sniffing some glue and having a few drinks, as you do when your a sixteen year old bored kid, and they decided to steal an aircraft at kal.......... got it slightly airborne before crashing it and getting killed. Certainly glad I was at work when it happened. then the 310 that my old boss used to own got nicked and pranged not long after............. early 80s I think.

[Towering Q]

Titan Driver, I think I may know you. Did you once beside in that big house on Charles Street? Are you the brave lad who would insist on flying "J" even when the HUD was U/S?

[the wizard of auz]

A HUD on "J", surly you jest. It was lucky to have the damn seat and throttles all working at the same time. :ugh:

[Towering Q]

OK, a slight exageration Wiz. I didn't realise you were subjected to the ordeal of an endorsement on "J". Was it carried out by the Wing Commander? :uhoh:

[the wizard of auz]

whats an endorsment? is that wc, DG you were talking about?
;)

[Titan Driver]

G'day Towering Q

Got in one buddy! :ok: would of made a good detective! :}

Don't know about the insist part though or brave for that matter! Were interesting times though.

The wing commander sure did make the endorsement rather interesting. Only instructor I knew who hated rounding out on landing :E

[Towering Q]

You're on the money Wiz.:ok:

Did you know that Titan Driver has a done a few hours in Daisy? Back when she was still a bit of a tart!;)

[Zorg]

Ahh Kalgoorlie and all the quality pieces of machinery out at the airport.
Does anybody know how AAA is going and their all inspiring pilot
:D

[Icarus2001]

Hey Wiz. If you buy those three C337s for $200,000 I will buy one of them off you for sure.

MRQ is up for sale I see at $165,000.

[the wizard of auz]

And believe me, after the hours I have in it, I can tell you its about $100k over priced. ;)