Overland Park man is charged with stealing van, trying to fly jet to Miami

When a 21-year-old Overland Park man realized recently that he didn’t have enough money to buy an airline ticket to Miami, he allegedly decided to take a different approach to reach his destination.

Adam C. Scott faces criminal charges that accuse him of swiping a transport van parked in front of a terminal at Kansas City International Airport, then driving it to the Wheeler Downtown Airport, where he tried to fly a private jet to Miami.

Scott was charged Friday in Clay County Circuit Court with two counts of first-degree tampering for the incident that happened June 17. Scott also faces a tampering criminal charge in Platte County Circuit Court.

According to authorities, court records and what Scott told investigators, Scott tried to buy airline tickets at both airports but did not have enough money. He jumped into a Super Shuttle van parked in the median at KCI and drove to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport.

Once there, Scott mixed in with passengers and crew during the boarding process. He walked onto the airfield, where an Embraer Phenom 300 was preparing for takeoff.

Scott eased inside the cockpit area, slipped into a pilot’s seat and began manipulating the controls.

He was arrested moments later.

Kansas City aviation officials said in a statement: “At no time was there a security breach at either airport. The Aviation Department is reviewing security procedures with airport tenants.”

Scott has a hearing scheduled for July 5 on the Platte County charges.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Overland Park man is charged with stealing van, trying to fly jet to Miami."