Found a drug runners C-45

[Booger Bill]

I posted this on another site and thought some of you might also find it interesting.

In about christmass of1976 I found a c-45. I was flying my tri-pacer back from searchlight nevada and seen it on the ground obvisley groundlooped on a small strip called "Hart mine" on the sectional. As soon as I seen it from the air I was pretty sure it was a drugger. I buzzed it, seen fresh tire tracks leading up to it and no sign of people or activity in the area and decided to land and check it out. There had been a lot of rain and runoff ditch had developed across about the first 1/3 of the dirt runway, really a wide road. The pilot had to land long, ran out of strip and purposely ground looped. He spun the plane around hitting a josua tree just in front of the emprologe and bending everything to one side like a broken wrist. Before I landed I called on my CB to two friends I had just left in searchlight. One was a pilot and I knew he also had a sectional and his buddy had a 4wd PU camper, and we had just spent 3 days together camping, flying, gambling and goofing off near searchlight. I told them what I had and that I was going to land and check it out and if I didnt call back in 45 minuets or so to come and get me. I was able to land okay, needing less strip than the C-45. I did have a S&W 357 on me and thought I would be ok. I was able to open the unlocked door. The tire tracks from a truck looked to be only a day or so old. All passenger seats were gone. The 8 day clock was still running. I copyed the registration, still remember it was regestered to a --- at a P.O. box in burbank calif. Now, I had no doubt this was a drugrunners plane! I got up in the air and radio`ed my buddys. I told them all I had and said I would report it when I got back to fox field at lancaster, calif. They said they were going to try to get to it. Although they were well armed too, that wasnt smart.
Their story first. Now both my buddys kind of liked to drink at the time. All three of us worked at the same place, for lockheed aircraft at palmdale california. This was to have been a lark exploreing the area between christmass and new years on our time off. I was single, but for them it was to get away from their wives, drink and have a ball. A few weeks earlier the three of us had flew the area looking for likely places to explore with the truck and maybe a place I could land and hook up with them as I was going to work some tripletime for a few days then meet them.
They got to the plane in the middle of the night. One of them got pretty lit up and fell into a cactus. I understand the other had a interesting time pulling out some of the spines with a pliers!
They actualy fired up one engine but couldnt get the other started. (One was a active pilot and the other was a AC mechanic). Finaly the next morning they started out. They got about 20 miles away and met a pickup heading towards them. They said it looked like a woman and two hippie looking type guys. As this still was a remote dessert road they figgured they probley were headed for the plane. They turned around and followed at a prudent distance.
They found them with their truck backed up under the nose and the nose cone removed. My buddys yelled over to them to leave the plane alone, that they had a buddy already reported it. All concerned were packing guns. The druggies yelled back obsenitys etc. My buddys got out of there.
I got back and reported the aircraft to the FAA. They hadnt heard of it yet. Then with many calls I got connected with somebody to see about fileing salvage. Eventiualy I was hooked up with a FAA investigater that was also a vegas cop. The first conversation was one sided, me giveing info. He checked me out. (I was a guard for lockheed). He then called me back and told me he had been following this gang for 6 months and to be carefull as they had killed. (I took that as going in armed). He even told me they had been haveing trouble with that right engine!
I had already inquired to some highup in the FAA about salvaging the plane. I was given the green light as they said they had no further intrest, do what I wanted, and they didnt know the procedure either!
I made a appointment with a lady lawyer and the three of us went and seen her. She pulled out a book on shipwreck laws and basicly told us there was no paperwork to file! Whatever we took and stored, and if the owner ever showed up and wanted it back, (Not likely as the plane had been hauling druggs) that we could charge them for storage!
We went back to the plane well armed new years eve well armed right at midnight. I figured that would be the safest time. I walked close to a mile by myself in the cold moonlight to make sure no one was there. I did have a AR and pistol. I never will forget that hike!
The plane now had all the instruments removed! That is what we were after the first trip!
My buddy with the truck rigged a large block & tackle over the next few days as we planned on getting those 450 Pratts.
We again went in late one night a week or so latter. Again, I made that 1 mile hike that last mile.
I found the plane on its belly, landing gear and both engines removed! The oil was still dripping off cut lines!
The upshot is had I posted a guard or two initally, that plane could have been fixed and flew out! I had friends at the time was capable of doing it!
About 8 years latter I landed at California city california. I spotted a similar plane at a FBO. I casualy mentioned I once owned one like it for about a day. -------, who I become to know, said was that at Heart mine strip? He said he got screwed on that plane! Some people had hired him to take the wings off and recover the airplane. Then they stiffed him on the deal!
I got nothing but a good adventure to remember!

I read all this to my wife and she made me deleat some names. Said she wasnt about to go to the witness protection program!

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[Hobie]

Now that is interesting.

[Rusty]

I never thought about salvage laws on an airplane. That's funny that even the FAA doesn't have an answer for you on that.

If you had gotten it you'd have had the stories to go with it.

[salvo]

Great story, I was a senior in High School in Vegas at the time, spent many a weekend out in the deserts around Searchlight & Southern NV/CA.(still do) Glad I never stumbled onto any drug runners in my travels!

[C. Cash]

Great story and thanks for sharing. When my Dad had Venture Aviation at Chandler, AZ, we lost a few planes to the drug folks....a Cessna 206 and a 207. Both were our bread and butter planes for flying folks to the Canyon. The 206 we found half way down the runway with the prop lock on(optimistic folks these drug runners, but not very smart). I think the 206 was later stolen again and never recovered.