The flight of the Canadian ‘Suicide Plane’

The Poplar Bluff Museum has tales of us, our family, and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.

Yavus Burke was a Canadian flight student under the name of “Adam Leon.” He wanted to commit suicide and came up with a plan to be shot down by American fighter jets. He had no terrorist ties. On April 7, 2009, Yavus stole a small Cessna 172 airplane from the Thunder Bay Airport in Ontario, Canada. He flew south into the United States. He was detected by the North America Aerospace Defense Command. Just as he wished, two F-16 fighters were scrambled. Once in contact, Yavus refused commands by the F-16’s to land or turn back. To his disappointment there was no “shoot down” order given. The Americans determined that he didn’t pose any special kind of threat. The F-16’s just continued to follow him.

Yavus made it all the way to Missouri before he ran out of fuel. Instead of committing suicide by crashing, he decided to land. Being over the Mark Twain Forest, crashing might be his only option. At the last minute, Yavus found a stretch of Highway 60 in Carter County and landed six miles from Ellsinore. Yavus taxied off the highway clipping a tree with his wing. He walked to the Simmons Grocery, Hardware and Gas Station and bought a Gatorade. Yavus sat on a bench and waited for the authorities. Soon the State Police and ICE arrived. He was arrested and held in the Butler County Justice Center awaiting a psychiatric review.

The next day a team from Poplar Bluff arrived, headed by Police Chief Dan Whiteley. Aircraft mechanic Dustin Ramsey inspected the airplane for airworthiness and pilot Don Schrieber flew it to Poplar Bluff Airport. Airport Manager Mike Smith received and secured the airplane. The entire country watched Poplar Bluff on that day.

The broken wingtip of the “Suicide Plane” is on display in the Poplar Bluff Museum, as well as the DAR story written by Donna Farley. The Museum is handicap accessible and open every Sunday free of charge from 1pm to 4pm at 1010 Main Street, Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.