A student pilot who stole a plane from a regional airport and who threatened to crash into a Mississippi Walmart store has been taken into custody after crash landing in a field.
Cory Wayne Patterson, 29, of Shannon took the 9 seat aircraft from Tupelo Airport at around 5am, where he proceeded to fly in circles across Mississippi, USA over the course of five hours. At one point the man posted a chilling ‘goodbye’ message on social media while still in the air.
Patterson had threatened to intentionally crash the 9 seater Beechcraft King Air 90 plane into a Walmart outlet according to the Tupelo Police Department.
In what appeared to be a final message, Patterson posted on Facebook: ‘Sorry everyone. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. I love my parents and sister this isn’t your fault. Goodbye.’
Initial reports told of Paterson working at the Tupelo Regional Airport, and regularly posting about flying planes across the country.
Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka said the suspect, Cory Wayne Patterson, had been responsible for fueling aircraft.
While Patterson appeared to have had some flight instruction, he was not a licensed pilot, Quaka said at a news conference.
Patterson was in custody and was being charged with grand larceny and making terrorist threats, Quaka said, adding that he expected federal charges as well.
- Webscally / Reuters