Plane theft

The world watched earlier this year after a Thunder Bay man jumped in a Confederation College plane and went on an unauthorized flight across three U.S. states.




The rogue flight into U.S. airspace led to international news coverage with a number of major American news networks tracking the story as it progressed live. While mostly an oddity, the brief but intense international attention makes this tbnewswatch.com’s fourth top news story of ’09.



Adam Leon, 31, was sentenced to two years in an American prison earlier this year for the plane theft.



The flight began on April 6. Two U.S. fighter jets followed Leon for up to seven hours, which led to the international news coverage. Leon was arrested in a rural Missouri town after he landed safely, hitched a ride to a convenience store and waited for police to arrive.



When Leon was arrested, it was reported that he had told FBI and Missouri State Highway Patrol that he was trying to commit suicide by having the U.S. fighter jets shoot him down. Leon later told the court in St. Louis that he suffered from depression.



He pleaded guilty to all charges including interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft and illegal entry.



Leon, who was born and raised in Turkey, was enrolled in Confederation College’s flight training program.



He is expected to be released in 2011.