'Joyrider' pilot lands private jet on beach, dodging passenger jets

A joyriding pilot made a series of bizarre excuses to air traffic controllers to justify landing his private single-engine Piper plane on a beach in New York, causing a full-scale alert. Scroll down to see the video.

As he flew, he dodged giant passenger jetliners taking off from nearby Kennedy Airport.

Jason Maloney, 24, took off from an airport in Long Island with two passengers on board.

During the flight, he was recorded making a series of light-hearted quips to air traffic controllers at John F Kennedy Airport. He claimed he was on a 'medical mission' because he had a sick passenger on board and then said he had a 'teensy' problem with the engine in order to get them agree to let him land on the sand.

An emergency response team was immediately scrambled, and police boats and aircraft met his landing in the shallow waters of Rockaways Beach.

The plane had to be dragged out of the surf but no one was injured.

Maloney was taken to a police station after the incident but it is understood that he was not tested for alcohol or drugs as he didn't appear to be under any undue influence.

Incredibly, he didn't understand why his stunt enraged FAA officials. 'What's the big deal? It happens in Alaska all the time,' he said to police, according to sources in the New York Post.

'He doesn't sound drunk. He doesn't sound stoned. He sounds like a jerk,' a law enforcement said after listening to the audio recording.

The incident is now being investigated, and he now faces a fine or having his pilot's licence suspended.

He later told police he had got the idea from a television programme called 'Flying Wild Alaska', that showed rough aircraft landings.


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