A student at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., got an education in what happens if you run afoul of FAA regs. The unidentified student is alleged to have buzzed the school in a Piper Cherokee at about 250 to 300 feet several times over a 30- to 45-minute period last Tuesday, wagging his wings as he did so. “It was waving to the kids, as planes do,” Mary Anderson, headmaster of the school told the Union Leader. Anderson says she considers the incident a “senior prank” and her punishment will fit the crime. However, she didn’t get a crack at the student until after the FAA had a chat with him. Because the plane was flying so low, school officials were easily able to copy the registration and FAA investigators were waiting for the student when he returned the rented plane to Lawrence, Mass., Municipal Airport. It’s not clear whether the pilot has a student or private certificate but it seems likely he’ll be without it for a while. Someone shot video of the airplane and the FAA is now determining if the pilot’s actions warrant an emergency revocation, suspension or fine.
Private School Students Get A Buzz
Key Takeaways:
- A student pilot from Pinkerton Academy illegally "buzzed" his school repeatedly at an extremely low altitude (250-300 feet) in a rented Piper Cherokee.
- School officials easily identified the aircraft's registration, leading to an immediate FAA confrontation with the student upon his return to the airport.
- The FAA is investigating the incident with video evidence and considering severe penalties, including emergency revocation, suspension, or fines for the pilot's certificate.
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