The Monday night emergency plane landing on Rockaway Beach may be in part thanks to a young pilot's fondness for a Discovery show about flying planes in Alaska—as well as a passenger's upset stomach. Jason Maloney, 24, also spoke in a joking, casual manner with air traffic control when asking for permission (which was repeatedly denied, because it wasn't declared emergency) to land on the beach, saying, "Just let us know if we're up in your grill," and ""Whooooa ... What if I want to hide from you?" [Listen to the weird audio below.]
Maloney and his two passengers, Clark Oler, 22, and Chelsea Protter, 21, had taken off from Farmingdale, Long Island, when suddenly he radioed to ask if he could land. Maloney asked, "This might be crazy. But are we allowed to land on the beach?" The controller said, "I don't think so, unless it was an emergency," so Maloney, a med student at Georgetown, responded, "I'm a paramedic, uhhh, is there anyone I can ask? Any private beaches around?" Air traffic controller reiterated that it was prohibited, unless it was an emergency. Maloney also said in a light tone, "You know, tower, my engine might be running a little, teensy, teensy bit rough. A little teensy bit rough." The Post adds that Maloney also said he wanted to "drop a pastor off at JFK who is doing some medical mission work. Where would I drop him off at your airport?" only for him to learn he would have to ask the Port Authority.
When he landed in the water at Rockaway Beach, he was greeted by cops. (Protter also reportedly vomited.) Maloney said, "It happens in Alaska all the time!" apparently a reference to the Discovery show Flying Wild Alaska. A detective provided a classic reply, "Welcome to New York." Maloney was not charged, but he may be fined and his pilot's license may be taken away. A source told the Post, "He doesn't sound drunk. He doesn't sound stoned. He sounds like a jerk. He was looking for somebody to tell him to do that -- land on the water."
