A
27-year-old man was arrested last Friday for allegedly
shooting at an ag plane that morning in Bowling Green, Mo.
The Aug. 18 incident marks the third time within the span of a month that an ag
aircraft has been fired upon by a resident. On Aug. 11 the helicopter of an ag pilot working near Omaha,
Neb., was damaged after being struck by at least two shotgun blasts. On July
18,
an ag plane working near Belgrade, Mont., was hit twice by shots fired from the
ground.
In
response to the rash of shooting incidents, NAAA has developed a checklist
of actions operators and pilots can take in the event someone discharges a
firearm at their aircraft. The full shooting-response checklist is available here
to print out. The checklist contains the following steps along with NAAA’s
advice.
Checklist for Pilots Subjected to
Discharge of a Firearm Targeting an Ag Aircraft
- Inform
Local Law Enforcement
- Contact
the FBI
- Report
it to the FAA National Safety Hotline
- Call
your Local Flight Standards Office (FSO)
- File
a NASA Aviation Safety Report
- Tell
Other Pilots
- Notify
Local News Media
- Contact
Your Insurance Agent if Warranted
In
addition to the shooting-response checklist, NAAA is always available for additional
assistance if you experience an aircraft shooting incident. Contact the NAAA
office at (202) 546-5722.