Robert Ryan Gore
Bay County Jail
Bay County Sheriff's Office
UPDATED: Robert Ryan Gore, the pilot of the small place that flew recklessly above crowds at the Gulf Coast Jam last weekend, has been taken into custody. Gore turned himself in to authorities in Okaloosa County last night, June 8, 2021. Sheriff Tommy Ford would like to thank Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden and the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in this case. Gore has been charged with a felony: Operating an Aircraft in a Careless, Reckless Manner.
June 08, 2021
ROBERT RYAN GORE SOUGHT BY INVESTIGATORS AFTER RECKLESSLY FLYING OVER CROWDS AT GULF COAST JAM
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the pilot of a small plane that flew at approximately 300 feet over crowds at the Gulf Coast Jam three times this past Saturday evening, alarming attendees, security personnel, and organizers of the event. Out of caution, the concert was stopped and the stage cleared.
The pilot has been identified as Robert Ryan Gore, age 40. Gore not only flew recklessly low over the event, but dropped promotional items on top of the 32,000 people in the crowd.
A warrant for Reckless Operation of an Aircraft, a felony, has been issued for the arrest of Gore, an Okaloosa County resident. BCSO investigators believe when Gore flew away from the event at Frank Brown Park on Panama City Beach, he landed his aircraft in Okaloosa County.
Sheriff Tommy Ford would like to thank Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.
Anyone with information on the location of Robert Ryan Gore is asked to contact the Bay County Sheriff’s Office at 850-747-4700 or Crime Stoppers at 850-785-TIPS.
Prepared by R. Corley
Information by Inv. D. Merritt
Approved by Sheriff T. Ford
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida (WMBB) — A report about the ‘reckless’ flyover at Gulf Coast Jam on Saturday night revealed the dangerous situation faced by law enforcement officers and the leadership of the concert.
The report also revealed that a sniper with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office was watching the plane and that deputies warned the pilot that they were prepared to “take action” if the incident continued.
Robert Ryan Gore, 40, of Destin, is charged with operation of an aircraft while intoxicated or in a careless, reckless manner.
Deputies wrote that at about 8:30 p.m. Gore flew a seaplane below 500 feet over the crowd which numbered more than 20,000. They added that he made a nose dive maneuver towards the crowd and then made a second pass.
He also dropped koozies onto the crowd that contained a website for his business, flythebeach.com and a phone number.
On its website the business offers flights for $99 and promises that if you fall in love with flying they can teach you to become a pilot.
Singer Cole Swindell and his band were set to take the stage but the performance was delayed until law enforcement and Gulf Coast Jam Producer Rendy Lovelady felt the situation was safe, Lovelady said Wednesday.
Deputies contacted Tyndall Air Force Base and Northwest Beaches International Airport and confirmed that no one had permission to fly over the crowd.
Deputies then texted the number on the koozie and had this exchange:
BCSO – This is Bay County Sheriff’s Office you need to cease flying over Frank Brown or we will take action.
Pilot – Enjoy the concert didn't mean to bother anybody do you a little recon for coming over to join the event.
Gore then sent deputies a photo of the plane.
During a follow-up on Sunday, deputies called Gore and he refused to meet with them. Instead, he said he “cleared what he did with his attorney and stated he was legal to do what he did in regards with the throwing of the” koozies.
Gore was charged earlier this week. He turned himself in Thursday. News 13 has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration for comment.

