Claimed Bonanza Was His Before Taking Off From Taxiway

Police in Athens, TX made a startling revelation this week while investigating the downing of a Beech A36 Bonanza: the plane had been stolen.

The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports Joshua Paul Calhoun, 25, suffered only minor injuries when the Bonanza came down hard in a field Wednesday near the Athens Municipal Airport (F44). In fact, he was even able to return to the airport on foot... where police were waiting.

That's because airport personnel notified authorities shortly after Calhoun showed up at the airport, claiming he had just purchased the aircraft... and took off from a taxiway.

"He was trying to start it, and an airport employee came over and helped him out," Athens Police Dept. Sgt. Don Yarbrough told the paper. "He taxied from the location on the tarmac and took off from there and not the runway itself."

As Calhoun flew an erratic pattern low over the field, airport workers called the plane's owner, who told them no one had permission to fly the Bonanza. By the time Calhoun walked back to the airport, the police had arrived.

"Our officers were out there taking the report when they looked up and saw his truck driving away," Yarbrough said. "He saw the officers, stepped out of the truck, which was still in gear and kept going, and walked toward the officers. The officers had to run after the truck to stop it."

Calhoun gave an interesting account of how the incident unfolded. He claims he wired $52,000 to someone over the Internet to buy the Bonanza (file photo of type shown below), and showed up at the airport to take possession. After being read his Miranda rights by officers, Calhoun proceeded to tell them the plane was his... and that he had landed, and let someone else fly the plane before it crashed.

"The only problem with the friend that he said was flying is he was one of our locals who has been deceased about a year," Yarbrough said.

After being checked out at a local hospital, Calhoun was charged with theft in excess of $200,000... a felony.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5470V        Make/Model: BE36      Description: 36 Bonanza
  Date: 03/04/2009     Time: 1400

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: Minor     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: ATHENS   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, 2 MILES FROM ATHENS, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   1     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: DALLAS, TX  (SW05)                    Entry date: 03/05/2009

FMI: www.faa.gov