Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Stunt Pilot's Stunt Taken for Possible Terror Attack

Aired July 25, 2002 - 09:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Not all stories turn out as we expect them to. Take a look at what Jeanne Moos ran into when she took a flyer with a young stunt pilot who's stunt was taken for a possible terror attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Our proposition was clear. This was supposed to be a story about the youngest aerobatic pilot around.

I actually soloed an airplane two years before I was able to drive a car. No wonder we teased 18-year-old Jamail Larkins about becoming the Tiger Woods of aerobatics.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I play golf a little bit, but I'm not that good of a golfer.

MOOS (on camera): So, tiger doesn't have to worry?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has nothing to worry about.

MOOS (voice-over): Tiger may know how to putt, but bet he can't use a site gauge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole purpose of the site gauge is to align you correctly with the horizon.

MOOS: Not always easy when you are flying upside down.

We met Jamail at the Essex County airport in New Jersey. We put one cameraman in a chase plane, another in Jamail's single-engine biplane. He went up and did a couple of rolls, let out a little smoke for dramatic effect. Some of the smoke filtered into the cockpit, causing the unsuspecting cameraman to wonder if there was engine trouble. Reassured, they headed back to the airport and into the clutches of the law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

MOOS: Jamail wasn't sure what he had done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get rid of the camera, please.

MOOS: But, whatever it was...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

MOOS: He was apologetic as Fairfield Police hustled him into the airport office. Remember the stream of smoke Jamail released? Well, it turns out, he released it near a reservoir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody thought it was chemicals being sprayed into there. Unfortunately, the FBI is already involved in this. I'm surprised the 16s aren't here.

MOOS: As in, F-16 warplanes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a very sensitive area here. We are 12 miles from Ground Zero. People around here are freaked out.

MOOS: Apparently, Jamail did nothing illegal.

(on camera): Is he under arrest?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

MOOS: Is the FBI coming?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

MOOS: F-16s?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea.

MOOS (voice-over): As if the police weren't enough, he had to tell his mom back home in home in Georgia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I turned on the smoke system for a second.

MOOS: A long second.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, they didn't arrest me.

MOOS: You can't blame folks for wanting to smoke out terrorists, but in this case, but where there is smoke, there's a flyer.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, Fairfield, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com