Run-in with the law - so to speak

[flyboy0681]

For the first time in a very long time I had an exciting flying day. It was time for my annual trip to Everglades City (X01) to pickup 20 pounds of Stone Crabs for my annual ritual of sitting down with good friends and lots of wine. I conducted a thorough pre-flight and knew that the presidential TFR was going into effect many hours after our expected return to my home base. The flight over was a quick 35 minutes, with the wind coming right down the center of runway 15. The first surprise of the day is shown in the picture. Smack dab in the middle of the approach end of the runway was a sailboat with a large mast. Since I was already on my game due to the short 2,400 foot runway, I was able to conduct a safe landing without compromising safety. Turns out the boat was stuck there due to the low tide and was not reported on the NOTAM.

The trip back was uneventful and scenic, as the Everglades flew under us. As we got near the edge of the proposed TFR I tuned in my home drome's ATIS and it said “Temporary Flight Restriction in effect through Sunday 22:00 ZULU”.  I thought that was odd because it was to be effective at 6:00pm local and was still hours away,  but just in case it changed, I called up Palm Beach approach and they brought me in.

When I landed I asked the tower if the TFR went into effect early and was told no, that it starts at 6:00pm local, at which time I told him that the ATIS was saying that it’s “in effect”. He said the guy who recorded the message must have got it wrong. OK, no problem. I proceed to shut down and push her back into the hangar.

As I’m securing the plane, three ominous looking vehicles pulled up and out came a whole bunch of guys with badges hanging from their neck, at which time I said under my breath, oh crap (well, not exactly). I thoroughly kept my cool but did have an adrenaline rush and the very first thing that came to mind was that I busted the TFR. The head guy walks up to me and said that they were from the DEA and conducting a ramp check and needed to see the aircraft registration as well as my pilots and drivers license and medical. I handed him my two year old BasicMed paperwork, of which he had absolutely no idea what it was and specifically asked for my medical certificate. I explained to him what BasicMed was as he proceeded to take a picture of it.

While two guys were dealing with me, the others were asking my friend all kinds of questions, but in the end they thanked us and went on their way. Oh, by the way, they didn’t inspect anything, not even the 20 pounds of crabs in the cooler. I must say that each one of them were very courteous.

 

 

[kortopates]

Glad they were friendly. Haven’t heard of a DEA ramp check in years. Even CBP has been quiet on these and they have been known to give law abiding pilots a really hard time in the past.
At least on the west coast we used to see government auctions of planes seized by the DEA - been quite awhile since the last one I've heard of suggesting to me there must be little need for these today. But I wonder. These days the smuggling apprehensions making the news have been using tunnels.


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[carusoam]

Great pirep, and pic!

That’s just the beginning... we’re gonna need to sample some of those crabs you got there.... 

What’s it like being the boat captain stuck in the approach of a runway...?

Best regards,

-a-

[flyboy0681]

2 minutes ago, carusoam said:

we’re gonna need to sample some of those crabs you got there.... 
 

Better get your own, they were devoured within an hour.

[Oscar Avalle]

Wow, DEA! Happy to hear that it went well


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[EricJ]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

While two guys were dealing with me, the others were asking my friend all kinds of questions, but in the end they thanked us and went on their way. Oh, by the way, they didn’t inspect anything, not even the 20 pounds of crabs in the cooler. I must say that each one of them were very courteous.

Many people, including lawyers and lawmakers and various judges,  think this sort of thing is unconstitutional.  It's always a crap shoot between inadvertently giving up rights you might turn out to need or trying to be cooperative.

I think they need a warrant to look in the cooler if you don't want them to.   The FAA can't go inside your airplane during a ramp check, either, if you don't want them to.

BTW, IANAL, but I'm always interested in this stuff.   

Edited April 21, 2019 by EricJ

[FloridaMan]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

For the first time in a very long time I had an exciting flying day. It was time for my annual trip to Everglades City (X01) to pickup 20 pounds of Stone Crabs for my annual ritual of sitting down with good friends and lots of wine. I conducted a thorough pre-flight and knew that the presidential TFR was going into effect many hours after our expected return to my home base. The flight over was a quick 35 minutes, with the wind coming right down the center of runway 15. The first surprise of the day is shown in the picture. Smack dab in the middle of the approach end of the runway was a sailboat with a large mast. Since I was already on my game due to the short 2,400 foot runway, I was able to conduct a safe landing without compromising safety. Turns out the boat was stuck there due to the low tide and was not reported on the NOTAM.

The trip back was uneventful and scenic, as the Everglades flew under us. As we got near the edge of the proposed TFR I tuned in my home drome's ATIS and it said “Temporary Flight Restriction in effect through Sunday 22:00 ZULU”.  I thought that was odd because it was to be effective at 6:00pm local and was still hours away,  but just in case it changed, I called up Palm Beach approach and they brought me in.

When I landed I asked the tower if the TFR went into effect early and was told no, that it starts at 6:00pm local, at which time I told him that the ATIS was saying that it’s “in effect”. He said the guy who recorded the message must have got it wrong. OK, no problem. I proceed to shut down and push her back into the hangar.

As I’m securing the plane, three ominous looking vehicles pulled up and out came a whole bunch of guys with badges hanging from their neck, at which time I said under my breath, oh crap (well, not exactly). I thoroughly kept my cool but did have an adrenaline rush and the very first thing that came to mind was that I busted the TFR. The head guy walks up to me and said that they were from the DEA and conducting a ramp check and needed to see the aircraft registration as well as my pilots and drivers license and medical. I handed him my two year old BasicMed paperwork, of which he had absolutely no idea what it was and specifically asked for my medical certificate. I explained to him what BasicMed was as he proceeded to take a picture of it.

While two guys were dealing with me, the others were asking my friend all kinds of questions, but in the end they thanked us and went on their way. Oh, by the way, they didn’t inspect anything, not even the 20 pounds of crabs in the cooler. I must say that each one of them were very courteous.

 

 

A friend of mine hit a sailboat on landing. He was in the backseat of an Extra and couldn’t see it. The airplane was absolutely totaled and resulted in a broken leg and a broken hand. 

[Culver LFA]

1 hour ago, FloridaMan said:

A friend of mine hit a sailboat on landing. He was in the backseat of an Extra and couldn’t see it. The airplane was absolutely totaled and resulted in a broken leg and a broken hand. 

Any chance that would be Dr. Greenwald?  I haven't talked to him in over 10 years but if you keep in touch with him please tell him Joe Burley said "Hello!".  I always enjoyed seeing him, super nice guy and always smiling (he'd remember me from Reeves).

[Yetti]

Subs or boats that run under the surface are all the rage for smugglers these days.  Can haul more stuff.  And just loading in a semi.

[320KPH]

Even the best hit sailboat masts...

 

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=55501

 

[EricJ]

4 minutes ago, 320KPH said:

Even the best hit sailboat masts...

 

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=55501

 

"Pilot (sole occupant) ejected inverted at very low level (under 100ft) and was picked up by a passing motor boat."

That must've been exciting.   Sounds like one of those times when you just have to trust the equipment.

[Shadrach]

@flyboy0681

Were are you at all tempted to record the interaction?  I’ve had some less than professional interactions with local constabularies.  I’m sure the feds are more professional but it never hurts to document the interaction.

[flyboy0681]

1 minute ago, Shadrach said:

@flyboy0681

Were are you at all tempted to record the interaction?  I’ve had some less than professional interactions with local constabularies.  I’m sure the feds are more professional but it never hurts to document the interaction.

In hindsight I kicked myself for at least not placing the phone in my pocket and hitting record. But the reality is, I was sort of in a state of shock at the time and my mind was all over the place. If only one black Suburban showed up with a single guy getting out, it would have been a different situation than the three vehicles. To summarize, it was a very intimidating situation for my friend and I.

[Shadrach]

11 minutes ago, flyboy0681 said:

In hindsight I kicked myself for at least not placing the phone in my pocket and hitting record. But the reality is, I was sort of in a state of shock at the time and my mind was all over the place. If only one black Suburban showed up with a single guy getting out, it would have been a different situation than the three vehicles. To summarize, it was a very intimidating situation for my friend and I.

I'm sure that it was intimidating and likely not by accident.  I am glad they were courteous. I don't like random searches of this nature.  If you were a transient doing something suspicious, then I could get my head around it.  Makes me bristle learning that it happened at your home base where you're likely a known member of the airport community with a known history.

[flyboy0681]

20 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

I'm sure that it was intimidating and likely not by accident.  I am glad they were courteous. I don't like random searches of this nature.  If you were a transient doing something suspicious, then I could get my head around it.  Makes me bristle learning that it happened at your home base where you're likely a known member of the airport community with a known history.

Keep in mind that they didn't search anything, which I thought was the oddest thing about the incident given we had the cooler right out in the open.

[bradp]

Maybe the DEA guys were carrying their pocket constitutions?

My high school history teacher made us carry one at all times when we were in his class.  Now I have a bound/book copy that I keep on my living room coffee table.  

[Davidv]

Somewhat of an unrelated story, but about six months ago I test flew a '78 231 here in Florida.  I didn't end up buying the plane but about three months later the person I flew with told me it was purchased by an ex-military pilot and immediately flown to Texas from PMP.  The very next day the plane flew into Mexico and attempted to smuggle several people across the border in the middle of the night.  CBP now owns the plane (and I'm sure the pilot isn't doing much better).

It's crazy to think that in today's intense border focus they thought this would be a good idea...

[tigers2007]

It's crazy to think that in today's intense border focus they thought this would be a good idea...

It’s probably worked out several times and they got complacent this time. CBP has some neat tracking equipment (ground & Air based) and a cadre of specialized personnel. That Southern border is heavily surveilled. If they would have tried this in the North, their odds would have increased by 10,000%. Local pilots where I used to live all know that there is zero radar coverage below 3,500 MSL...

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[Bravoman]

I had a DEA agent approach me a couple years back when I landed at Marathon Fl. Same kind of thing. Just asked me for my pilots license and medical. Was very friendly, also a pilot and even talked about Mooneys and that he had owned a C model some years back. 

[steingar]

The Police State Cometh

[Yetti]

It's not real law, but generally 250 miles within the border CBD can do an inspection.   Seems like DEA would need probable cause.

[Ron McBride]

Several years ago, I was flying into Van Horn Texas, after several deviations north of the border but close, and then circling for weather, CBP was on the way to the airport, they contacted the airport manager and he confirmed that I was expected.  They turned around within sight of the airport.  I was below radar coverage, but did have a radar tower in sight. “Whose at what frequency?”  Weather or CBP??

ron

[tigers2007]

Radar tower in sight? Was it mounted on a trailer? I know they have some cool toys but nothing like this:




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[Yooper Rocketman]

On 4/23/2019 at 4:54 AM, tigers2007 said:

 

It’s probably worked out several times and they got complacent this time. CBP has some neat tracking equipment (ground & Air based) and a cadre of specialized personnel. That Southern border is heavily surveilled. If they would have tried this in the North, their odds would have increased by 10,000%. Local pilots where I used to live all know that there is zero radar coverage below 3,500 MSL...

 

 

 

 

 

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@tigers2007 , I’m not giving up my personal knowledge of you and your past career, but two things.  I LOVED that video and song AND I can’t wait for the day we sit around for the evening, over a beer or glass of wine, and you share YOUR CLEARLY INTERESTING life’s stories.  

Tom

[Mark89114]

On 4/24/2019 at 2:02 PM, Bravoman said:

I had a DEA agent approach me a couple years back when I landed at Marathon Fl. Same kind of thing. Just asked me for my pilots license and medical. Was very friendly, also a pilot and even talked about Mooneys and that he had owned a C model some years back. 

I had the same thing happen to me in Marathon, can't remember if it was CBP or DEA.  I had my 9 y.o. son and they had flight tracked me from Destin.  Clearly I fit the profile...…(sarcasm font)  I was less than friendly as I probably just got done arguing about some other legal nonsensical matter and I was on a Constitutional right kick of some kind and was ready to argue.  I told him I didn't think he had any right at all to inspect my airplane or person without probable cause.  He gave me the nonsense about doing his job and he had a task list to accomplish and I told him why don't they go get real criminals instead of clearly vacationing people.  He backed off and didn't inspect anything.  I don't think he wanted a fight when clearly he wouldn't have found anything.  My big issue is government overreach.  Probably need to refresh my memory a bit so I keep current on developments.  Summary is I think it is criminal what they think they can do.