S77th-konkussion Posted June 2, 2006 Posted June 2, 2006 Pilot Fights Black Snake Stowaway on Plane Friday , June 02, 2006 CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Monty Coles was 3,000 feet in the air when he discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane's instrument panel — a 4 1/2-foot black snake. Coles had left Charleston earlier for a leisurely flight over the West Virginia countryside last Saturday in his Piper Cherokee and was preparing to land in Gallipolis, Ohio, when the snake revealed itself. "Nothing in any of the manuals ever described anything like this," the 62-year-old Cross Lanes resident said. But the advice given 25 years earlier from his flight instructor immediately came to mind: "No matter what happens, fly the plane." An attempt to swat the snake only resulted in it falling to Coles' feet under the rudder pedals. It then darted to the other side of the cockpit. While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with one hand, Coles grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other. "There was no way I was letting that thing go. It coiled all around my arm, and its tail grabbed hold of a lever on the floor and started pulling," Coles said. The next step was to radio for emergency landing clearance. "They came back and asked what my problem was. I told them I had one hand full of snake and the other hand full of plane. They cleared me in." After a smooth landing, Coles posed for pictures with the snake, then let it loose. "That snake resides in Ohio now," he said. "I wasn't about to bring it home. I don't mind snakes, but I sure like to know where they are." Coles said he was lucky his usual travel companions, his wife and dachshund, were not on the flight. "If my wife had been in the plane, I wouldn't have a wife, a plane or myself," Coles said. "I don't know what might have happened if Killer had been in the plane, but it sure would have been a lot more exciting." [sIGPIC]http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=43337&d=1287169113[/sIGPIC]
Shaman Posted June 2, 2006 Posted June 2, 2006 So fortunately that snake wasn't poisonous? Amazing story :) told them I had one hand full of snake and the other hand full of plane. They cleared me in :D 51PVO Founding member (DEC2007-) 100KIAP Founding member (DEC2018-) :: Shaman aka [100☭] Shamansky tail# 44 or 444 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] 100KIAP Regiment Early Warning & Control officer
S77th-konkussion Posted June 2, 2006 Author Posted June 2, 2006 Correct. Black snakes are non- venomous and very common round my area. I ran into one mowing the lawn a while ago- I thought it was my kids' jumprope or something.. went to throw it out of my way and that sonuva.... took a swat at me and was gone in about .003 My hand is STILL shaking.. [sIGPIC]http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=43337&d=1287169113[/sIGPIC]
Shaman Posted June 2, 2006 Posted June 2, 2006 I've never seen a snake... but I know what you mean :hehe: at the end, lucky for snake that you've noticed him there in the weeds, otherwise it would be one bloody snake 51PVO Founding member (DEC2007-) 100KIAP Founding member (DEC2018-) :: Shaman aka [100☭] Shamansky tail# 44 or 444 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] 100KIAP Regiment Early Warning & Control officer
Force_Feedback Posted June 2, 2006 Posted June 2, 2006 It's the R-77 adder :lol: Creedence Clearwater Revival:worthy:
SUBS17 Posted June 2, 2006 Posted June 2, 2006 Interesting he didn't kill the snake with its head in his hand(their skulls are quite fragile). Cool story though. [sIGPIC] [/sIGPIC]
britgliderpilot Posted June 3, 2006 Posted June 3, 2006 It was a dry run for Samuel L Jackson's new film! 1 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/britgliderpilot/BS2Britgliderpilot-1.jpg
Force_Feedback Posted June 3, 2006 Posted June 3, 2006 It was a dry run for Samuel L Jackson's new film! :megalol: Creedence Clearwater Revival:worthy:
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