Pilot Detained After Veering Near Bush Motorcade (details)

Reuters ^ | July 24, 2003 | Reuters

[FairOpinion]

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A man piloting a small plane that veered too close to President Bush's motorcade on Thursday was detained by federal agents after F-16 fighters and a police helicopter forced him to land, officials said. The pilot, who was patrolling oil pipelines in a single-engine Cessna at altitudes too low to be sighted by radar, entered a 30-mile no-fly zone and flew along Bush's motorcade route as the president was traveling from a speaking event in Philadelphia, officials said.

The pilot was identified only as an employee of Underwood Aerial Patrol of Ohio.

"He was unaware that there was a temporary flight restriction in effect. There was no threat. There was no malice," said James Borasi, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Philadelphia field office.

The incident, which occurred shortly after noon EDT, triggered a scramble of F-16 fighters, which forced the pilot down at Camden County Airport in Berlin, New Jersey, with help from a police helicopter, airport officials said.

About 30 police officers, with their guns drawn, waited as the Cessna taxied to a stop and then ordered the pilot to lie down on the tarmac.

"They handcuffed him and whisked him out of here," said Karl Kleinberg, the airport's owner.

Four hours after the incident, the pilot was still being detained as a suburban New Jersey police station.

[FairOpinion]

Obviously there are major problems with the security system. All pilots should have been told about the no fly zone, this guy had no idea. It was fortunate that the whole thing was innocent, because a terrorist could have done the same thing -- he flew below the radars.

I wonder just how large is the no fly zone around the president, it should be large enough so as soon as they see someone heading towards it, they can tell the pilot to change direction, and if he doesn't and veeres 10 feet into the zone, they should shoot the plane out of the sky.

Heads should roll over this one.

[JRandomFreeper]

All pilots should have been told about the no fly zone

Note to self: Read the danged NOTAMS.

/john

[Monty22]

Why do you believe this guy saying he didn't know? The only thing that matters is that he did it and anyone can do it again.

[AnAmericanMother]

Note to self: Read the danged NOTAMS.

Ain't that the truth! If he was a pipeline pilot, he may well have been flying out of an uncontrolled private strip, and if he wasn't within range of somebody's ground control with the NOTAMs being broadcast, he could easily have missed it. Poor guy, just trying to look for gas leaks!

[RadioAstronomer]

Are you really advocating the demise of general aviation and along with that the THOUSANDS of jobs that it supports?

Many more people die in cars. Should we also ban all cars in favor of mass transit?

[Monty22]

I dunno, but I'm leaning towards feeling that it has to be done.

Awfully easy to aerosal whatever stuff you want from high altitude.

[FreedomCalls]

Why do you believe this guy saying he didn't know?

Why do you not believe him?

Perhaps he had a route planned out already on a chart in the the plane. Perhaps the pipeline was adjacent to the motercade route. Perhaps he had a flight plan on file showing the route he took. Perhaps his story checks out.

Lots of people have real jobs. Lots of people don't follow the movements of the President in close detail so that they know where he is 24 hours a day.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The only thing that matters is that he did it and anyone can do it again.

Sure anyone can do it again. You cannot frame life to rule out anyone from either willingly breaking the rules or being ignorant of the rules. What is the issue?

[Arkie2]

He flies pipelines. He takes off VFR and doesn't talk to anyone on the radio unless he's entering controlled airspace. He also flies as low as necessary to see the pipeline. It's a segment of flying that is uncontrolled ( no flight plan ) and uniquely American.

[tbpiper]

I wonder just how large is the no fly zone around the president

Generally 30 nautical miles (1 nm appx = 1.15 statute mile)

he doesn't and veeres 10 feet into the zone, they should shoot the plane out of the sky.

It's not that simple. Flight ops within a TFR can be conducted with certain rules. Accidentally stumbling into a TFR is easier than you might think. Killing someone for a ten foot incursion into a 30 nm zone is a bit extreme. And if heads rolled for accidental incursions, very few people would be employed right now.

[RadioAstronomer]

I dunno, but I'm leaning towards feeling that it has to be done.

The problem here is where do you stop? More people die by guns too. If we start running in fear every time a mouse stamps his foot, we will lose all freedom.

[Rivendell]

Note to self: Read the danged NOTAMS.

Amen to that!!!

NOTAMS...don't leave the ground without 'em!!!

[FreedomCalls]

I dunno, but I'm leaning towards feeling that it has to be done. Awfully easy to aerosal whatever stuff you want from high altitude.

And car and truck bombs represent a real threat as well. Perhaps we should ban all private surface transport and force everyone into the public bus system. < /sarcasm >

Does anyone not care about freedom anymore?

[lelio]

About 30 police officers, with their guns drawn, waited as the Cessna

That would of been a good time to rob a bank. All the cops are out there arresting a misguided pilot. With their guns drawn? Sounds like it is out of a bad movie.

[FairOpinion]

I meant that they should warn pilots HEADING INTO the zone, and if they don't respond and continue into the zone, despite the warning, then I don't see how they can do anything else -- except endanger the president's life, by not acting.

The no-fly zone may be 30 miles, but they should track planes heading anywhere near there.

Are you sure it's 30 miles? I vaguely remember reading the no fly zone near nuclear plants is something like 4-6 miles, in other words in a few minutes after the plane breaches the zone, it will be above the nuclear plant, so unlesss they track it before and actually shoot it down at the no-fly zone, the plane will make it to over the plant, i.e. the no-fly zone is totally useless for practical purposes.

[templar]

Should we also ban all cars in favor of mass transit?

Only private, non-commercial, vehicles. Business vehicles would still be needed and allowed.

[FairOpinion]

In my opinion the issue is, that clearly security around the president is inadequate, and they better fix that, the next airplane flying over the motorcade may have more sinister intent, than this guy did.

[meyer]

Why do you believe this guy saying he didn't know? The only thing that matters is that he did it and anyone can do it again.

Perhaps they can do it, but I doubt if it will be done as easily next time. Besides, who's to say that this character wasn't being tracked by a pair of fighters locked onto their target.

[Cachelot]

I dunno, but I'm leaning towards feeling that it has to be done.

Here's a simple solution for you: a general curfew at any time the President is out of the WH :).

[Monty22]

"Besides, who's to say that this character wasn't being tracked by a pair of fighters locked onto their target. "

And what if he has a few barrels of VX in the back and slammed it into the president's car? They couldn't have stopped it.