Teen Driver Turns Airport Runway Into Personal Autocross Course, Hits Plane and Tractor Before Police Catch Up
A 17-year-old led police on a chase through Portsmouth International Airport, crashing into a parked plane and a tractor. The airport has since installed a new 'drive-through' lane for such occasions.
PORTSMOUTH, NH — In a display of youthful exuberance that airport officials are calling 'unprecedented,' 17-year-old Wyatt Seely transformed the tarmac of Portsmouth International Airport into a personal autocross course Saturday evening, plowing through a perimeter fence, a Kubota tractor, and a parked Cessna before police finally caught up with him.
Seely, driving a black 2008 Ford Mustang with its headlights off, reportedly treated the runway like a drag strip, weaving between aircraft and ground vehicles while officers from three departments gave chase on foot and in cruisers. The teenager, who police say was intoxicated, allegedly ignored multiple orders to stop and instead decided to test the structural integrity of airport equipment.
'He hit the tractor, then the plane, and kept going like it was a video game,' said airport spokesperson Linda Hartwell, who added that the airport has since installed a new 'drive-through' lane for such occasions. 'We're just glad no one was hurt, but we're also wondering if we should start charging admission.'
Seely was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and now faces charges including aggravated driving under the influence, disobeying an officer, and reckless driving. His court hearing is set for September 9, 2026, at Portsmouth District Court. The airport has reportedly ordered a new fence, a new tractor, and a new sense of humor about the whole affair.
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