| by | |
| 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 |
|
|
 |
| 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. |