An Arlington, Washington, man has filed a lawsuit against multiple aircraft operators at the local airport, alleging their planes are “spewing lead” over his home and those of his neighbors. Scott Iceberg is asking Snohomish County Superior Court to force the defendants to stop using leaded fuel and to stop flying over his apartment because of the noise it makes and the panic attacks it causes him to have. Iceberg says he has a chronic illness that makes him more vulnerable to the health impacts of those who “fly around in a little airplane for fun.” Iceberg’s fourth-floor apartment is a few blocks from the perimeter fence of Arlington Airport and would appear to be in both of the patterns for each of two runways. AVweb called Iceberg but were politely hung up on by Google Assistant after a couple of questions about the nature of our inquiry.
AVweb obtained one of the complaints and while the noise factor is noted, it’s clear that lead emissions are his main motivator. The suit we have, which is against the owner of a 1962 Cessna 172D, makes repeated references to the health impacts of lead emissions and claims the owners are choosing leaded fuel when unleaded alternatives are available. This 172 has an upgraded 180-horsepower Lycoming 0-360 that needs 100LL. The defendants in this suit have until Jan. 28 to file their response to the 20-page claim from Iceberg.
An earlier version of this story used outdated information from the FAA registry on the engine in the airplane cited in the suit. Also, the defendants have until Jan. 28 to respond.
