James Inhofe Nearly Killed a Bunch of People Landing Plane Last Year

76-year-old Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma landed his Cessna plane on a closed runway at Cameron County Airport in Texas last October despite people telling the crazy old man in the hurtling death machine he was not allowed to land there. According to FAA documents, Inhofe "'sky hopped' over the six vehicles and personnel working on the runway, and then landed." There was apparently a big yellow "X" on the runway just in case any senile senators in the sky forgot they had been told it was closed, but that didn't concern Inhofe. According to a Vietnam vet at the scene, "I can assure you I have never seen such a reckless disregard for human life in my life." Yep, sounds like a Republican senator.

“He sky hopped over us," said Boyd. “He was determined to land on that runway come hell or high water evidently." He added, “I'm still shaking…I was in the middle of the runway, I headed for high country." [...] In a recorded conversation with Lee Williams, an FAA quality assurance specialist, airport manager Marshall Reece tore into Inhofe's piloting. “I've got over 50 years flying, three tours of Vietnam," Reece said, “and I can assure you I have never seen such a reckless disregard for human life in my life." He then added, “Something needs to be done. This guy is famous for these violations."

Nothing much happened. Old man Inhofe agreed to "complete a program of remedial training," and that was that. So you should probably keep an eye on the sky at all times, because James Inhofe is still up there and could come hurtling in to kill you at any second. (Maybe disguise your house like an operating runway and he won't try to land on you?)

Anyway, Republican senators should stick to the bathrooms at airports. What kind of crazy repressed-gay death-wish feelings compelled Inhofe to try to fly one of the planes ?

[ Smoking Gun / Photo:  Peter Bakema,   GNU Free Documentation License ]