Sky Kings: Innocent Pilots Face Down Guns, Handcuffs

John King

Friday, November 12, 2021 at 01:06 PM ET

Verified

The ramp of an airport makes for an unlikely traffic stop, and it proves to be pointless. VDB Photos/Shutterstock

Key Takeaways:

Pilots were subjected to a "high-risk" police stop, involving armed officers and handcuffs, due to an incorrect report that their plane was stolen.
The error stemmed from an uncorrected database entry by the DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), which falsely linked their current aircraft's reassigned tail number to a different, much older, previously stolen plane—a discrepancy easily verifiable.
The author critiques the police's "high-risk" protocol, arguing that a lack of aviation knowledge led to unnecessary escalation and increased danger, as a calmer approach at the FBO would have been safer.
The experience reinforced their personal "interception standard operating procedure" to "comply fully, never complain, never explain" to manage risk when confronted by armed law enforcement.

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We taxied up in front of the line of four police cars as we were directed by ground control, instead of to the FBO where our friends were waiting. Martha said, “This is going to be interesting.” As we shut down the engine, we heard the bullhorn aimed at us and a voice: “Pilot, very slowly open your door. Pilot, very slowly stick both hands out the door and come out very slowly.”

Martha and I take turns flying and each can fly from either seat. In this case, I was not particularly eager to declare myself as the pilot. Finally, I “agreed” to be the pilot.