Parks PA-16 On Illinois Golf Course

An Illinois pilot has some explaining to do, after landing his Piper PA-16 Clipper on a snow-covered golf course this weekend so his son could make it to a nearby tennis club on time.

The Chicago Tribune reports Robert Kadera, 65, may have taken the name of the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort's golf course -- Crane's Landing -- a bit too literally. Kadera's 14-year-old son, Isaac, told reporters his father came up with the idea of flying the ski-equipped aircraft to his Saturday afternoon tennis lesson, as Isaac would have been late if he'd ridden along with friends in a car.

Witnesses called police when they saw the aircraft circling the golf course. Isaac said his father tried to land the plane twice, before alighting on the 7th Hole fairway on the third try.

"I wasn't really scared. My dad's a good pilot," Isaac said. (Hey, we're impressed -- that hole is a Par 5 -- Ed.)

Police -- who initially feared they were responding to an accident scene -- met the two as they walked across the golf course to The Lincolnshire Club, across the street from the Marriott.

Authorities expressed wonderment at Kadera's audacity.

"We're all pretty dumbfounded," said Lincolnshire Police Chief Randy Melvin. "I don't have any idea what the guy was thinking. ..... He was going to park his plane across the street like nobody would notice."

Kadera wasn't allowed to take off from the golf course. A towing service was called out to the course Saturday to lift the plane (file photo of type shown above) onto a flatbed, and take it to a nearby wrecking yard.

"We've towed planes before, but not under these circumstances," said Marcy Vole, manager at Ernie's Wrecker Service in Vernon Hills. Kadera dismantled the plane Monday, so he could transport it back home.

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said the agency will investigate the incident, and may also consider punitive action against Kadera -- including revoking his certification. He also faces a slew of charges from local authorities, including trespassing, as Kadera did not ask permission to land on the golf course.

As for Isaac... well, he never did make it to his tennis lesson, which was supposed to be a tuneup with a friend before tryouts for the school team Monday. Even worse, his friend didn't believe his excuse... which, admittedly, does sound a bit far-fetched, even for golf.

"I left my friend hanging," Isaac said. "He still doesn't believe me when I told him why."

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5628H        Make/Model: PA16      Description: PA-16 Clipper
  Date: 03/01/2008     Time: 1949

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: LINCOLNSHIRE   State: IL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES,
  LINCOLNSHIRE, IL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: WEST CHICAGO, IL  (GL03)              Entry date: 03/03/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.craneslandinggolf.com/