Tuesday, October 11, 2011

NORAD fighters intercept general aviation aircraft. Civilian pilot strays into restricted air space over Washington. Air Force jets intercept and escort plane back to Baltimore.

The U.S. Air Force sent two F-16 jet fighters to intercept a civilian plane that had strayed into restricted air space over Washington, D.C., at about 8:30 p.m. Monday. The military planes, based at Andrews Air Force Base, escorted the smaller craft until the pilot landed at the Thurgood Marshall International Airport in Baltimore.

The Federal Aviation Administration was unable to communicate with the pilot and alerted the North American Aerospace Defense Command, officials said.

"We had a pilot out of communication who wandered into the National Capitol Region over the D.C. area, which is continually restricted," said Lt. Cmdr. Bill Lewis, spokesman for NORAD. "When that happens, we send up the fighters."

The Department of Homeland Security monitored the situation along with other federal agencies.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the aircraft was escorted back to BWI by fighter jets and landed safely without incident," according to a Homeland Security release.

Law enforcement officials met with the pilot of the errant plane, who informed police that he had overflown BWI by mistake, Homeland Security officials said.

No further investigation is planned, officials said.


http://www.baltimoresun.com

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