Woman Does Soft Field Landing After Running Out Of Fuel

Susan Alexandria, 27, has been arrested after allegedly stealing a Piper Cherokee and flying it until she ran out of fuel.  The plane was found in a hayfield near Cedarville, CA, with no reported damage.

File Photo of Piper PA-28-140

The PA-28-140 belongs to Candice Brown Elliott, Alexandria's landlord and family friend.  Elliott says she gave the young woman five hours of basic aircraft instruction as a Christmas present in 2008. 

Elliot did not give permission for her tenant to borrow the aircraft and said she was not ready to solo.  Alexandria likely "just pointed the nose and let the plane fly," Elliot told The Press Democrat.

The Cherokee ran out of fuel about 250 miles northeast of the departure point at Sonoma County Airport (STS).  Alexandria performed a soft field landing in a hayfield near Cedarville, CA.

Modoc County newspaper writer Jean Bilodeaux, became suspicious when the plane was found just after a woman with no car checked into the local JnR Hotel. Bilodeaux used the plane's tail number to track down Elliot and alert her to the theft.

"She did admit to the fact she had taken the plane," Modoc County Undersheriff Gary Palmer said Friday after arresting Alexandria on Thursday morning.  "We found all her luggage was still in the plane. Found her credit card. And she had the keys to the plane in her pocket, so there wasn't much she could say." 

There has been no word on the thief's ultimate plans or why she flew to northern California.  She was having breakfast at the time of her arrest.

FMI: www.modocsheriff.us