Australian man fined for driving plane down main street

A man who drove his wingless, propeller-driven plane down the main street of a West Australian town to the local pub some days back has been fined.

Anthony Whiteway said he was feeling "a little parched" as he drove his newly purchased two-seater aircraft home and decided to stop off for a drink at the Purple Pub in the small mining town of Newman in the northwest of the country.

Police responding to reports of a plane in the pub car park found Whiteway's wingless aircraft with the ignition still on and an exposed fuel line hung from the side of the plane leading to a jerry can in the cabin.

Whiteway said he stopped for a glass of lemonade and a toilet break.
"I went to the toilet and when I came out all hell had broken loose," Xinhua quoted Whiteway as saying.

"A friend at the bar said a very angry police officer had come in and said, 'Righto you mob, who owns the plane parked out the front?'."

Whiteway, 37, pleaded guilty Tuesday to committing an act likely to endangering the life, health and safety of a person. He was fined $4,250 plus court and towage costs.

Police said they were angry that Whiteway, who did not hold a pilot's licence, had so recklessly put so many lives in danger.

Mark Garner of Newman police said the plane not having a steering wheel made the situation extremely unsafe.

"All he needed was one gust of wind... because without the wings, it's not stable," he said.

"The danger obviously taxiing a prop plane down Newman Drive, bearing in mind that kids have just come out of school.

"It's a busy Friday afternoon. I know it's Newman, but we do get a fair bit of traffic."
Outside court, Whiteway said he was still keen to restore the plane but would choose alternate transport to get to the pub in future.
"I don't think I'll be taking it to the pub again, no," he said.