Or should I say FUI (Flying Under the Influence). The aircraft was actually a powered parachute, not an ultralight. Apparently he was doing swoops or whatever over the lake showing off to the bar patrons and boaters (This was Memorial Day weekend) and couldn't pull out of the last dive in time, hit the water and flipped the machine. They sank to the bottom of the lake, but fortunately it's a very shallow lake and the water was only about 10-12 feet deep and they were able to free themselves quickly. It was the passengers first time going for a ride in one of these.

So now he has the FAA AND the Sheriff's department to deal with. From another article: Quote "Additional charges may follow pending the conclusion of a joint Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office investigation"unquote.

He did not have a "sport pilots license" as required by the FAA to fly this two seat aircraft, so I would assume that he was supposed to have this craft inspected and registered also, which was also never done. This is not his first alcohol related incident. First one on this type of machine, but he has been thru this before. I wonder how the FAA /Sheriff will handle this? I found it interesting that the AP picked this up and made it national news.


Flying while stupid


1, 2010 11:17 pm US/Central Pilot Arrested After Ultralight Crashes In Minn.ZIMMERMAN, Minn. (WCCO) ―  Click to enlarge1 of 1
Deputies arrested 46-year-old William Akes on May 31, 2010 after the plane crashed into Elk Lake.
Sherburne County

A pilot who crashed his ultralight into a central Minnesota lake was arrested on suspicion of flying while intoxicated.

The St. Cloud Times reports Sherburne County deputies arrested 46-year-old William Akes Monday after the plane crashed into Elk Lake.

Sheriff Joel Brott says the pilot and his adult passenger were pulled from the water by a boater on the lake.

The sheriff says while deputies were investigating, they found that the pilot was flying while under the influence of alcohol.

Neither the pilot nor his passenger was injured. The county and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

I don't know the penalties for flying while intoxicated, but I have a sneaking suspicion that with that charge and all the others mentioned in the article, he's in a world of shit.