Editorial Director Editor, Aviation Consumer Photographs by Paul Bertorelli
On Friday and Saturday, Hurricane Charley struck the Punta Gorda
Terminal in Florida hard and fast. AVweb staffers were on hand
to capture the devastation.
Click Any Image for a
High-Resolution Photo Each high-res image opens in a new window for
easy browsing.
Aircraft Depot, a local maintenance shop, lost both hangar
doors, and aircraft inside were blown out of the hangar.
The view looking northwest, near the terminal. A number of
upended aircraft came to rest against the terminal, inside its
fence.
Several rows of T-hangars like these — some with airplanes
inside, some blown out and destroyed, some blown out relatively
intact. On the other hand, newer T-hangars on the northwest
side of the field were largely intact.
Despite the mayhem, a lucky few aircraft emerged relatively
undamaged. This Bonanza's nosegear collapsed, bending the prop. But
it remained upright.
High winds leveled this steel building, located south of the
Punta Gorda terminal buildings.
Punta Gorda's resident DC-3 was driven back and knocked off its
gear. It suffered significant wing damage.
This Cessna broke free of it's tiedowns, tumbled into a ball and
stopped in a drainage ditch.
Several rows of T-hangars north of the terminal building were
destroyed. Some aircraft went with them, some were damaged, and a
lucky few remained mostly intact inside the wrecked structures.
Another structural failure. We believe this wooden
homebuilt was tied down without its wings attached. However,
high winds ripped the tail section off.
The airport terminal building suffered serious roof damage but
appears to be structurally sound.
Some aircraft were smashed beyond recognition. This upended hulk
is a Cessna Skymaster.
Many airplanes were ripped from their hangars and tumbled across
the ramp like toys. We believe this wreck is a Taylorcraft.
Sometimes, strong ropes aren't enough. This Tomahawk was
securely tied down but the wind — or debris — twisted off the tail.
Email this article
