A federal grand jury has indicted a Broken Bow man on a charge of interfering with an aircraft after he allegedly shot at a helicopter that flew near his house in August. Charley Dean Whisenhunt Sr. now faces a felony count that carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The indictment stems from an incident near Whisenhunt's home in Broken Bow last August, according to The Oklahoman, which reported that the aircraft was spraying herbicide at the time. Interfering with an aircraft is a felony charge, and prosecutors have described it as punishable by up to two decades behind bars.
Whisenhunt's exact age is not listed in the federal court documents tied to the case. State court records, however, show a man by that name is now 58 years old, the newspaper's report notes.
A Federal Statute Built Around Aircraft Safety
The charge against Whisenhunt falls under federal law covering destruction or interference with aircraft, a statute the Justice Department has said is meant to cover conduct that is likely to endanger an aircraft's safety. Per the Justice Manual, the law implicitly treats setting fire to, damaging, destroying or disabling an aircraft within special aircraft jurisdiction as inherently dangerous to that aircraft's safety.
The specifics of what happened near Whisenhunt's property, including what kind of weapon was allegedly involved, whether the helicopter sustained any damage, or whether anyone was hurt, have not been detailed in available court records. Those questions remain open as the case moves through the federal system.
Similar Cases Have Surfaced Elsewhere
Gunfire aimed at agricultural aircraft has turned up in other states in recent years, though those cases are separate from the Broken Bow indictment. In Missouri, Donald V. Bates Jr., then 62, was charged in Caldwell County with second-degree attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree assault, felony property damage and armed criminal action, according to the Kansas City Star, after he allegedly fired a high-powered rifle at a crop-duster plane.
That shooting reportedly happened on July 10 near farmland on the outskirts of Kidder, Missouri, after the pilot had been spraying crops nearby. The newspaper reported that a bullet apparently punctured the plane's fuel tank, causing a leak, while another round left a hole in the nose of the aircraft. Investigators estimated the damage at roughly $12,000, with an additional $25,000 in lost wages during repairs, and a witness told authorities they heard as many as 15 rounds fired from the area of Bates' residence around the time the plane was struck.
The Kansas City Star also reported that, two months before that shooting, another pilot had accused Bates of threatening him with a gun while flying in the same area. In a separate case described by 12News, an Indiana farmer faced charges after allegedly shooting at a crop-duster plane flying over his property.
No additional details have been released about Whisenhunt's arrest, detention status, plea or legal representation in the Oklahoma case. The indictment marks the formal start of a federal prosecution that could carry significant prison time if he is convicted.
