"At 5:10 am our T210 was stolen not 100 yards from where we were sleeping in our Punta Chivato casa! They did a short field takeoff from the taxiway,
heading west. No time for a warmup or runup. It had a disconnect on the battery which they somehow hotwired and made connection, but no other
locking devices. It is shiny white with red and black stripes. Tail ID is N2611S. If you see this plane, notify homeland security."
Russ - any thing you can add?
this sucks....
[Edited on 3-30-2010 by capt. mike]JESSE - 3-30-2010 at 12:40 PM
What happened to the military that used to be located there?capt. mike - 3-30-2010 at 12:42 PM
never has been any based at Chivato in my 30 years going there.tripledigitken - 3-30-2010 at 01:14 PM
Pompano - 3-30-2010 at 01:23 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by JESSE
What happened to the military that used to be located there?
Jesse..you may be thinking of the other airstrip a little further north. Between Chivato and Sta. Rosalia.
Bad news. Russ - 3-30-2010 at 01:26 PM
capt. mike, The quote you gave is pretty much what is known at this time. I would have heard the take off and been startled because it was dark but I
was in the shower. And when I got the radio turned on the excitement was mostly over. I did hear some of the owners friends and neighbors had called
government agencies on both sides of the boarder and believed both sides were tracking the plane. The owners have been trying to work with the local
(Mulege) authorities and have been a bit frustrated in that endeavor. They are also required to visit the authorities in Loreto tomorrow. Mike, You'll
probably get better info from BBP than me. FYI For a few years there was a small deployment of military here camped on the hill above where the planes
parked. Not always there as they'd go out on maneuvers often. The owner of the land they were camped on kicked them off the little area they camped
on.Pompano - 3-30-2010 at 01:34 PM
Back in the days I lived in the Casa Grande at Chivato, we often had military camping near the airfields.
Back then, there were TWO usable airstrips..pistas.Russ - 3-30-2010 at 01:47 PM
And....last year the military was staying at Casa Grande a lot.Pompano - 3-30-2010 at 01:49 PM
Well, Russ ..sounds like they should be invited back..very soon.Russ - 3-30-2010 at 01:51 PM
YES !!
A WELCOME BUNCH
Pompano - 3-30-2010 at 02:03 PM
I can't say that it will prevent any further airplane thefts..and is certainly not much consolation for the loss of this latest 210, but we invited
these marines to stay/camp at our place a few years ago. Fed them, use of toilets and showers, etc. Never had any problems since.
Of course, we never had any problems before either...
..but it can't hurt to have them around.
Cheyenne got all kinds of new buds to play with, too.KAT54 - 3-30-2010 at 02:17 PM
No military?
Is not it time to close that strip?
chivato pista
capt. mike - 3-30-2010 at 02:54 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by KAT54
No military?
Is not it time to close that strip?
one has nada to do with the other.
myself, i would rather a strip remain open even without a garrison of gun toting youth, or youts.
too many strips get closed. the residents of chivato who pay the license each year should get the option. if i had a nice shack there and all of a
sudden i lost the ability to fly in... oh boy....the humanity...
the thing is - who in their right mind takes a 205, 206, 207 or 210 to baja dirt runways anymore?? they are targets and this clearly was an inside
job. someone is getting paid to provide intel.
i hope they had good insurance. and as far as anyone "tracking them"?? that is a riot.DianaT - 3-30-2010 at 10:14 PM
Really sorry to hear it has happened again.
Guess there is no where in Baja that is a safe place to park one of those planes.
I know nothing about airplanes so I ask, is there a reason they do not steal other types of planes?Floatflyer - 3-31-2010 at 06:51 AM
Cessna, high wing planes are the first choice apparently. Most training is done in Cessna aircraft so most pilots know how to fly them. High wings
make them easier to land on narrow roads with bushes on the sides.
"the thing is - who in their right mind takes a 205, 206, 207 or 210 to baja dirt runways anymore?? they are targets and this clearly was an inside
job. someone is getting paid to provide intel.
i hope they had good insurance. and as far as anyone "tracking them"?? that is a riot. "
I respectfuly disagree with Capt. Mike, I would not let the potential for theft determine which type of plane I will fly. Paved strips are NOT immune
from theft either. Except for theft at gunpoint, one must disable the plane and locks are a waste of time for this type of theft.
Since the common opinion is that these thefts are drug related, one would think that radar surveilance/tracking would be possible with the millions
that are being spent on the fight.
This is a sad situation but before you write off all 200 series flying in Baja just read about the teenager in the San Juan Islands that continues to
steal planes AND the authorities even know who he is and can't catch him!!!capt. mike - 3-31-2010 at 07:29 AM
my input is based on empirical data from BBP since this thievery started in earnest about 7-8 years ago as far as baja and Sonora regions.
1. i have seen 5 210s stolen, 4 at dirt, 1 at paved public (with security and tower) from people i KNOW personally.
2. it started with 206s mainly - but they decided the load capability and speed of a 210 was also an advantage. they will target EITHER one mostly.
3. no one has taken a twin in the recent history.
4. they are not taking any low wing fixed or retractables. lack of load capacity or speed. That's good.....if they understood the capability of a
comanche as to load AND speed....that would be all she wrote....and i'd have to quit taking mine!
my amigo going with me next weekend has one of THE nicest turbo 210s in the USA - it is so well equipped that the insurance cannot write the necessary
coverage for it and capped it far less than it is worth.
if you fly often enough in Mexico you soon learn why they force you to fly airways on IFR and also mandate old style position reporting - because of
their limited and non existent radar coverage!
ain't gonna be no stinking tracking of these cowboys...
my advice - unless you have a secure hangar someplace with a pit bull inside sleeping....do not take your 200 series into baja or Sonora.
only exception is if you CAN get exrea hull coverage and want to cash in on this soft market, then....as my buddy says...fly it in, let everyone in
town know you've arrived....and leave it unlocked with the key in it..Floatflyer - 3-31-2010 at 08:08 AM
I guess that is why there is horse racing, different political parties, different colors, etc. What ever floats your boat.
Opinions are like (deleted), everyone has one!!Trueheart - 3-31-2010 at 08:23 AM
So, who stole this plane, and for what reason? Thoughts anyone?capt. mike - 3-31-2010 at 08:45 AM
"Since the common opinion is that these thefts are drug related, one would think that radar surveilance/tracking would be possible with the millions
that are being spent on the fight. "
the $0,000,000 are being spent by USA DEA et al...not the Mexicans so much on a pro rata share.
the USA will draw the line at paying for infrastucture improvements to Mexico's air space systems.
so - ARTCC needs like radar where it is presently spotty will go on as is - lacking.
besides, even with the best in ARTCC radar you fall off below certain altitudes so they lose you anyway if you chose to run scud or treetops or dice
with granite.
desperate men willing to take big chances for what are likely nice $$ rewards to deliver some wings.
Tess -
capt. mike - 3-31-2010 at 08:52 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Trueheart
So, who stole this plane, and for what reason? Thoughts anyone?
last i heard it was the Bower gang from over south of Box Canyon.
they planned to fly it over to Grover, land on the street and rob the bank.
we need to call the sheriff and alert Sky King to get the Songbird gassed and ready.
they can't have gotten far.
i am on the short wave now with Penny and Spud. BajaBlanca - 3-31-2010 at 10:45 AM
really sad to hear this story .... and what gall ...Trueheart - 3-31-2010 at 11:19 AM
We just got back from Baja ... Punta Chivato actually. We briefly met the people who own this plane at a golf tourney fund raiser a few weeks back.
What a shame. We hope their plane is located in good condition and gets returned to them.
There has been some minor military presence in that (PC) area recently. A transport vehicle carrying a dozen or so would occasionally tour into the
PC area, then leave. Also, the military boys were roaming around in PC at night at least once while we were there. And finally, there was a military
boat in and around the bay on a few occasions, mostly at night. There seems to have been some military interest in the PC region, at least recently,
that did appear to be above normal.Vince - 3-31-2010 at 12:23 PM
N2611S is owned by a nice couple from Oregon. I met them in San Felipe on the way south about a month ago. We chatted on the radio for awhile trying
to stay out of each other's way. It was a beautiful airplane.capt. mike - 3-31-2010 at 06:22 PM
"We hope their plane is located in good condition and gets returned to them."
sadly... that will never happen. that plane is on the mainland by now getting ready for one last ride as a hauler.
that's all they need it for.
it will be crash landed in the desert on a very short quick carved strip, maybe at nite, with a full load of monkey dust and skank weed....and be
abandoned..
oh - and they MIGHT pull any trick avionics to give to the lords for their other legitimate planes....
sorry - but this is what happens and how it goes.
i can't really believe they were that naive with all the available publicity - maybe they are not BBP members...too bad.
