Delta suspends jailed pilot

By Megan Matteucci

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Delta Air Lines has suspended a pilot while officials investigate charges he tried to run over two Griffin police officers with his private plane.

Dan Wayne Gryder, 48, remains in the Spalding County jail, charged with two counts of aggravated assault and obstruction. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, the sheriff’s office said.

Gryder, a Delta pilot and private aircraft instructor, was arrested Wednesday at the Griffin-Spalding Airport.

“He is suspended pending the completion into the investigation in this incident,” Delta spokesman Anthony Black said Thursday.

The FAA is also investigating Wednesday's incident and could revoke  Gryder's pilot's license or issue additional sanctions.

"If it was a violation, it would be a civil matter not a criminal matter," FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said.

Griffin code enforcement officers were called to the airport on Wednesday for a report of a pilot disrupting the airport. Gryder was driving his car across the runway and taxiway, Griffin Police Investigator Bryan Clanton said.

The two officers approached the suspect and he gave them a fake name. After learning the pilot was Gryder, the officers attempted to issue him six citations, police said.

However, Gryder refused to sign the tickets and boarded his plane, a 1937 DC-3A. He started the engine and told one of the officers that if she moved, he would strike her, police said.

The officer, who was standing next to the prop, moved out of the way and summoned backup.

Additional Griffin officers and Spalding County deputies flooded the area and ordered him to stop, but Gryder continued to taxi down the runway, police said.

Gryder got to the end of the runway and attempted to take off, but he was out of gas.

Police arrested Gryder and transported him to jail.

Gryder’s actions disrupted air traffic, prohibiting flights from departing or arriving, police said.

“He essentially shut the airport down for almost 45 minutes,” Clanton said. “His actions created a danger for all of our officers, himself and others who lawfully use the airport.”

Gryder has a history of disturbances at the Griffin airport, including previous complaints of him illegally driving his car on the runways, according to Robert Mohl, the airport's director.

“He’s done it before and he’s been warned," Mohl said.

Mohl said he doesn't understand why Gryder didn't just sign the tickets on Wednesday, which would have ordered him to appear in court. He likely would have just gotten a fine instead of jail time, Mohl said.

"But he decided to pursue a different course of action, which disrupted our planes from coming and going," he said.

The Griffin airport does not have air traffic control, so pilots must announce their own comings and goings, Mohl said.

"It’s quite safe as long as everybody follows the rules. One of the rules is ground vehicles stay off the runways and taxiways," Mohl said.

FAA records show Gryder has one prior investigation into a mechanical problem in 2005. There was a problem with a bracket that fastened his rear landing gear. FAA investigated it and found he was not at fault, Bergen said.

Gryder has his own hangar at the Griffin airport, where he stores the DC-3A involved in Wednesday's incident and several other aircraft, Mohl said. Gryder uses his planes for metro area airshows and to teach other pilots. Gryder operates an aviation training and consulting company.

Reached Thursday night, Gryder's wife declined to comment and said her husband would be home on Friday.