Hey BWB....
Yosimite Sam
knew the man, but had heard his name mentioned often. I've know of the
"hijack" story, but have never heard the details. Do you know them? Would
you share?
Howard
Badwater Bill
wrote:
Oh, yeah, Allen restled the gun away from the psycho when he was
hijacked. He flew the helicopter and got the gun away from the guy
while in flight. And Allen was the only pilot on the helicotper. It
think it was a Jet Ranger. He landed and the guy was arrested. I'll
have to call Fred Stewart and ask him about the details. I heard
Allen talk about it years ago but didn' t pay much attention to it.
It was sort of like a James Bond thing he did. Very Ballsy. It was
like Beer Talk in those days, but it did really happen.
BWB
Yosimite Sam
though.
--
Yosimite Sam
Stu Fields
thru that whole affair. The flight was supposed to be a Real Estate look
see and I remember Allen noting that the woman got in the back seat and was
a bit curious about that, but went ahead with the flight. I remember the
tale of turning the controls loose and fighting with her over the gun was
indeed a James Bond kind of tale. As I recall the guns were fired a couple
of times and I think I remember the woman taking a round. My wife remembers
the woman dying as the result of the wound. I'm sure there must be a better
record than my memory of the details of the event. It sure seemed to me at
the time that Allen must be either the best helo pilot in the world or the
luckiest or both. I was pretty sure that the release of him dying in a helo
crash had to be a mis-print.
Stu Fields
"Yosimite Sam" <nos...@nonono.com> wrote in message
news:Rx4Zb.353364$xy6.1810539@attbi_s02...
ski...@outdrs.net
As you probably know Allen flew traffic copter reports in
St.Louis,Mo. & owned a Mini 500 copter.
Another pilot was supposed to take this chartered flight but, got
tied up on previous flight,so Allen volunteered to take this ***
supposed *** real estate developer *had brief case maps -the whole
works* on an overflight survey near Cape Girardu(sp) Mo.. When they
started to get in the chopper(Jet Ranger ,I believe),Allen told her
she could see better in the front seat (as she started to get in
back). She told him she would decide where to sit & for him to just
fly like she told him. Allen said he could tell this was going to be a
fun flight!!!! They loaded up & lifted off,she told him to fly along
the Mississippi river until she told him to turn north. He suggested
to her that in would save time (money) to go direct. He said she told
him in no uncertain terms to do what she told him to do. No
problem,your money,he said(he still figured he could make it back in
time for traffic reporting). Near Cape Gir. she told him to turn north
& fly for (I believe)15 miles,make a 180* turn,then she would tell him
where to land.
He knew almost instantly that that flight path would take them over
the federal prison in the area.(a definate no,no=no fly zone)Said he
turned
his head to tell her they couldn't do that & he was looking down the
barrel of a 9mm pistol. She told him to do as told or else. He said as
he flew over the prison area,he tried to avoid the prison as much as
possible when going north. All the time trying to figure out what to
do. Made his 180* turn,headed south. She told him he was to land in
the prison exercise yard & pick up 2 passengers. He told her ,there is
no way they are going to let us land & take off in the yard,they will
shoot us out of the sky. Again she told him to do as he was told.
He decided if he could talk her into opening the side door,maybe it
would distract(he figured the sudden rush of air would surprise her)
her enough so he could do something to get the gun. He told her by
opening the door in advance the passengers could get in quick & maybe
they could make it out of the yard without getting shot. She agreed.
So when he reached back to unlatch the door,he gave it a shove. As he
let go of the door,he grabbed her hand w/ the gun,then gabbed on w/
the other hand. After wrestling the gun from her hand(helicoper flying
it self)he turned & saw her reaching for another gun on the floor(she
told him,that's ok ,I have another one). So he said he just started
firing away over his shoulder. After the gun was empty ,he couldn't
see her anymore. About this time he looked back up front & realised he
was in a 90* vertical dive headed for mother earth. Said he pulled up
on col.& cranked in all of throttle,just got the ship level before it
hit the ground.
Shut down the engine, climbed out,looked in the back. His lady
friend wasn't moving. Said he turned & noticed a gate in the fence & a
little room inside the fence. (he had landed in the cleared area
between the prison fence & a wooded area) He took off running to the
gate,entered as it was unlock as was the door into the room. There was
a phone in the room but, he couldn't get it to work. He then tought of
the radio in his A/C. Took off running toward the A/C. All of a sudden
he realised there are guards up in the towers w/ guns & he could be
shot. Said,he stopped ,put his hands in the air,turned & looked up to
the towers & waved his hand, one of the guards waved back while
looking down the barrel of his gun pointed at Allen. I guess about
this time people stared coming out of the prison to see what was going
on. Allen slowly walked back to his A/C. Turned on his Radios & made a
call to their base on the river barge they used for a heliport. He
said the owner has radio at home to monitor what's going on. Owner's
wife answered Allen's call & started to laugh,She replied to Allen
that this was his best stunt yet,like it really happened: Yeah,
right,you have killed your lady passenger,you've shot up the
helicopter & crashed the helicopter at a federal prison & you need
help!!!( From what I have been told Allen was good at pratical jokes).
Finally the boss & the other pilot( that was supposed to take this
charter) came up on the radio. The boss told him they would fly out
there but , if this was a stunt,first he was going to kick Allen's
tail,then fire him.
I'm posting this as best I remember it as told by Allen. Allen was
in the process of writing a book about this event when he was killed
in his Mini 500. I wonder if it was ever finished. Would love to read
it for more details.
The lady Allen shot,had a daugther try to break out the same guy
from prison a couple of years later. The police believe she was going
to steal a Saber Liner (as there is a Saber Liner repair facility near
by)& fly them out of the country. Allen said he believed that was the
first lady's plan. They tought because he knew how to fly jet
helicopters that he could fly F/W jets. You know one jet is just like
any other jet,yeah,right!!!
Maybe Fred Stewart,or Bill can tell more details of anything I
forgot.
Ed Randolph #0005
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
skyp...@eudoramail.com (Badwater Bill) wrote in message news:<40385000...@news.west.earthlink.net>...
Yosimite Sam
Thanks for taking the time to write this story...What an incredible
guy....probably saved his own life by taking control of the situation. What
year did this happen?
Howard
Mike Gaspard
Allen told this story at the 1998 P.R.A. International Fly-In.
It was a woman who chartered the flight. She wanted to sit in the
back to see the sights, and unfold her map. Allen said that he thought
it was strange that she kept giving directions like, "Turn due east at
the river", etc. Not what he expected from your average rubbernecker
on her first sightseeing flight.
I don't remember the whole sequence of events that led up to him
turning around and looking at her, but when he did he was looking down
the barrel of a hand cannon (.44 Magnum IIRC).
He said that he trimmed it to pitch up when he let go of stick, and
wrestled the gun away, and ended up shooting her with it. He got the
aircraft back under control, and landed.
The cops told him later that the woman's plan was to hijack the
aircraft, and have him fly over to the prison where her
boyfriend/husband/shack-up was, and break him out.
That's the basic story, but Allen was a good storyteller, and there
was lot's more to it. I don't know if anyone recorded it though.
Mike
Ed Bryant
One of the most famous escape attempts was masterminded by Garrett Brock
Trapnell, who was serving time for hijacking a jetliner. His girlfriend,
Barbara Oswald, tried to hijack a helicopter in May 1978 to facilitate his
escape, but was shot and killed in the attempt. A few months later, Oswald's
daughter hijacked a jetliner from St. Louis to the Williamson County airport
and held the crew and passengers hostage for 10 hours, demanding Trapnell's
release. She eventually surrendered.
From here:
http://www.thesouthern.com/rednews/2003/05/20/build/top/TOP002.html
Badwater Bill
>
> Allen told this story at the 1998 P.R.A. International Fly-In.
>
> It was a woman who chartered the flight. She wanted to sit in the
>back to see the sights, and unfold her map. Allen said that he thought
>it was strange that she kept giving directions like, "Turn due east at
>the river", etc. Not what he expected from your average rubbernecker
>on her first sightseeing flight.
>
> I don't remember the whole sequence of events that led up to him
>turning around and looking at her, but when he did he was looking down
>the barrel of a hand cannon (.44 Magnum IIRC).
>
> He said that he trimmed it to pitch up when he let go of stick, and
>wrestled the gun away, and ended up shooting her with it. He got the
>aircraft back under control, and landed.
>
> The cops told him later that the woman's plan was to hijack the
>aircraft, and have him fly over to the prison where her
>boyfriend/husband/shack-up was, and break him out.
>
>That's the basic story, but Allen was a good storyteller, and there
>was lot's more to it. I don't know if anyone recorded it though.
>
>
>Mike
Yeah. I remember it now, she wanted Allen to land in the prison yard
and pick up her husband. I think Allen killed her too.
Do you remember that part Mike? IIRC Allen shot her and killed her.
Bill
Badwater Bill
<ed.b...@theispis.shaw.canadian> wrote:
>And this:
>
>One of the most famous escape attempts was masterminded by Garrett Brock
>Trapnell, who was serving time for hijacking a jetliner. His girlfriend,
>Barbara Oswald, tried to hijack a helicopter in May 1978 to facilitate his
>escape, but was shot and killed in the attempt. A few months later, Oswald's
>daughter hijacked a jetliner from St. Louis to the Williamson County airport
>and held the crew and passengers hostage for 10 hours, demanding Trapnell's
>release. She eventually surrendered.
Okay, I should have read on. Allen did shoot her and kill her. I
thought I remembered that part correctly. But, a mind is a terrible
thing to waste and age is wasting mine.
BWB
Badwater Bill
>
> Maybe Fred Stewart,or Bill can tell more details of anything I
>forgot.
>
> Ed Randolph #0005
Nah...you did a great job Ed. Thanks for telling it the way it
happened. As I read your post it all came back but I'd forgotten most
of it. I appreciate your input. Does Allen's wife have that
unpublished manuscript that Allen wrote about it? It might be worth
publishing.
BWB
ski...@outdrs.net
I believe it was 1978 or 79. I could be wrong,though.
Ed Randolph
ski...@outdrs.net
Yo,Bill;
Never did hear any more after Allen flew west. I think maybe brother
Rich may have been working w/ Allen on the book. Of course you knew
Rich has now flown west. I'll try emailing Larry at FAA & see if he
has any info.
Sad end to an exciting,interesting man. VM Cobra pilot ,shot down 5
times,& he buys the farm doing what he loved best. Gotta Love the
guy!!!
I would love to read about some of his other stunts - planned or
other wise!!
What was funny,Allen said was: When the boss arrived at the prison &
looked the helicopter over. He was more worried about the strain
straps on the blades than all the bullet holes in the body of the
chopper. One slug had just missed the fuel tank & another one bounced
off the main gear box. Talk about **Luck**!! Everything important
checked out so he jumped in ,fired her up,& flew her home .
Ed Randolph #0005
pacplyer
Thanks Ed. Enjoyed it. Reminds me of the movie Breakout with Charles
Bronsen. That movie was based on a true story about "Red" Dodge who
was recruited by the CIA to airlift an operative out of a mexican
prison. Red was a Capt at Western who suddenly quit flying trips to
mexico after the event happened. Shortly after that the mexican gov
tried to exrtadite him. He wound up with a bunch of huge hangars in
Wash state with unlimited gov leases.
pacplyer
Badwater Bill
>
>Thanks Ed. Enjoyed it. Reminds me of the movie Breakout with Charles
>Bronsen. That movie was based on a true story about "Red" Dodge who
>was recruited by the CIA to airlift an operative out of a mexican
>prison. Red was a Capt at Western who suddenly quit flying trips to
>mexico after the event happened. Shortly after that the mexican gov
>tried to exrtadite him. He wound up with a bunch of huge hangars in
>Wash state with unlimited gov leases.
>
>pacplyer
Yep. There are a ton of characters who really still live and some of
them even post here from time to time...that is until the illiterate
annonymous cowards of the usegroup peck at them until they just say
"fuck it. This shit ain't worth it." Then they leave.
If you could sit O'ring down or Bourbon, Chuck Slusar%$*&#ck, Ray
Jarvis, Pink Ass, Walt Troyer, Vicki Cruse pluse some...and get them
to open up, this would be the most entertaining ng on the web. But
the old timers get challenged by the Sydney's and the Moon Men of the
group who couldn't build shit from shinola and have the equivalent
experience of a student pilot. But they have big insulting
know-nothing mouths who have to make their mark by challenging the
ones who have done it and who, once in awhile feel like writing about
it and sharing it with the rest of us who have done it too.
I'd like to buy these pricks for what I think they are worth and sell
them for what they think they are worth.
And, you too Pac. I won't blow your cover because you chose to remain
annonyomous for employment and other reasons that I understand. You
have a lot to say and a lot to share as a DC-10 captain. Screw the
shit-bags. Say what you want to say and forget the 200 hour cunts of
the group.
Have a nice day
BWB
pacplyer
> Yep. There are a ton of characters who really still live and some of
> them even post here from time to time...that is until the illiterate
> annonymous cowards of the usegroup peck at them until they just say
> "fuck it. This shit ain't worth it." Then they leave.
>
> If you could sit O'ring down or Bourbon, Chuck Slusar%$*&#ck, Ray
> Jarvis, Pink Ass, Walt Troyer, Vicki Cruse pluse some...and get them
> to open up, this would be the most entertaining ng on the web.
Yeah Dr. Strangewater, I agree.
That's what I'm hoping will happen more and more around here. That's
what kept me checking back here from time to time since 95. I'd like
to hear about O-ring's background and flying, Bourbon's crop dusting
(something I always wanted to do, but wasn't sure I was good enough to
survive,) Chuck's early days in the Easy Riser (another part of
aviation that I missed out on,) Walt's brave C-130 flying in Africa
(if it's not all classified,) Nafod40's ballsy military flying, John
O's barnstorming and stuff from all the others I missed. Aviation is
so rich and diversified, I just never get tired of reading about it.
Many of these guys and gals are instructors too. Wet ticket privates,
and even guys sitting in rice paddies should be able to participate
here as well and ask questions without getting shunned.
But
> the old timers get challenged by the Sydney's and the Moon Men of the
> group who couldn't build shit from shinola and have the equivalent
> experience of a student pilot. But they have big insulting
> know-nothing mouths who have to make their mark by challenging the
> ones who have done it and who, once in awhile feel like writing about
> it and sharing it with the rest of us who have done it too.
But in all fairness, they do know how to remove pesky Phillips head
screws from wheelpants! :^D Lol! sorry, I couldn't resist. But it
is really a shame. Being talked down to by a "screw-extractor" has
caused many with interesting backgrounds and flying/building
experience to think twice about posting at RAH. You have the
multiple-personality trolls that post under invented names, then you
have the career competitors who can never let their hair down, then
you have the Super-exaggerators who become vicious when their story
falls apart. And the "off-topic" worms living in the DARPA distant
past. But at the same time, some fascinating people blow in and out
of here, and are able to tell accounts of how it really happened to
them, before they dead-stick outa here. I wouldn't have it any other
way.
>
> I'd like to buy these pricks for what I think they are worth and sell
> them for what they think they are worth.
>
> And, you too Pac. I won't blow your cover because you chose to remain
> annonyomous for employment and other reasons that I understand. You
> have a lot to say and a lot to share as a DC-10 captain. Screw the
> shit-bags. Say what you want to say and forget the 200 hour cunts of
> the group.
>
> Have a nice day
>
> BWB
Thanks Bill. I appreciate that. It might be true that some of my
background in "hauling trash" as the fighter jocks say, for the better
part of 20 yrs is irrelevant to this forum. But if we all had the
same experiences this place would be very dull indeed. It became
terribly dull after Dr. Snow and Bernie the Butt hole tried to run you
off IMHO. It turned RAH into kind of a tea party for the armchair
aviator exclusively. Airmen/women with experience were reluctant to
speak freely, for fear of a lesson in spelling or table manners. I
think the motif of this whole interface should be: We know that you
500hr pilot/builders have just discovered that you're not dead yet.
We know you have it all figured out, and figure you can now proceed
to run off people with experience. But you should realize, though,
statistically, historically, the 500 hr pilot has more fatal accidents
than any other group. More than even the 10hr student or the 78 year
old geezer with 15,000 hours. If loud profanity is the only way to
covey the gravity of your myopia to you, :-) ... then I will sic Bad
Billy on your ass the next time you try to sensor or evict someone in
this forum on the basis of bad table manners alone.
You are dismissed! ;-)
pac "focus on the substance" plyer