A controversial businessman's private aircraft has caused significant damage at a major US airport, compounding his legal difficulties just days before he was due to appear in court over a separate fatal boat crash.
Plane Incident at Tampa International Airport
On the evening of January 4, a personal Cessna Chancellor Twin Piston plane, owned by 62-year-old Jeffry Knight, encountered problems while approaching Tampa International Airport in Florida. The aircraft struck a sign during taxiing, an impact which subsequently knocked off its front landing gear. The incident occurred around 8pm.
According to reports from the Tampa Bay Times, Knight was not aboard the flight, which was returning from the Bahamas. The plane was being piloted by his friend, David Straub Coover, who had two other passengers—Knight's own children—on board. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the aviation incident.
An initial airport police report suggested the cause was a water bottle that had become jammed under the landing gear pedal, leading to a loss of control. However, Coover has contested this, telling the newspaper that the plane veered left and hit the sign due to a brake failure. The crash resulted in an estimated $4,500 worth of damage.
Mounting Legal Troubles for the Businessman
This aviation mishap comes at a critical time for Knight. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Monday, ahead of a trial set for September, concerning far more serious allegations.
In July, Knight was charged with eight felony counts of leaving the scene of a boating accident involving death and serious bodily injury. The charges stem from an incident on April 27, where a 37-foot triple-engine vessel, allegedly helmed by Knight, collided with a packed 40-foot Clearwater Ferry.
That collision resulted in the death of 41-year-old Jose Castro, a father of two young girls, and injuries to ten other people. Authorities state that Knight's boat, carrying six passengers, left the scene and was later found over three miles south. He was released on bail in July with conditions that prohibit him from operating any vessel.
A Pattern of Allegations and Civil Cases
Knight's legal challenges extend beyond the fatal boat crash. The Daily Mail has reported that he possesses a lengthy rap sheet, including two past DUIs and an accusation of 'careless operation of a vessel'.
Furthermore, he is currently facing a damning civil court case in which he is accused of seriously sexually assaulting a female employee at his Jannus Live concert venue in St. Petersburg. In a separate historical matter, Knight was previously accused in a lawsuit relating to the 2012 death of a friend who slipped while leaving his yacht.
Knight, who made his fortune in cable installation during the 1980s, now owns multiple venues in St. Petersburg, including Jannus Live, the Ringside Café, and MacDinton's Irish Pub. He resides in a waterfront mansion valued at $5.2 million and purchased the involved private plane for $500,000.
