Daring manoeuvre fixes plane snag

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 6

Daring manoeuvre fixes plane snag

NZPA-AP St Augustine, Florida

As a plane flew just feet above the runway, a mechanic stood on a car traveling at 144km/h, reached out and pulled the craft’s jammed right wheel in a successful daring rescue yesterday.

With a St Augustine airport operator, Jim Moser, at the wheel of the car, a mechanic, Joe Lippo, stood on the seat with half his body sticking out through the sunroof of the vehicle.

"Joe grabbed the wheel, gave it a mighty tug and locked it in the down position," Mr Moser said. “It was pretty amazing.” Scott Gordon, of St Augustine, was flying the Piper Turbo Arrow singleengine plane alone when he noticed the wheel was stuck. After some radio discussion with mechanics on the ground, the unusual fix was arranged. Mr Moser, a stunt pilot for 15 years, said he had participated in many air shows and high-risk aerial

stunts, including driving under a moving plane in an open car so a stunt man could climb up a ladder lowered from the plane. “But that involves much lower speeds, 40 to 45 miles an hour,” he said. “I’ve never tried anything like this before.”

Although no-one was injured, Mr Moser said he would not repeat the experience as a stunt for a show because “it’s too tough.”

The reason the wheel was stuck had not been determined, officials said.