White House Briefly Evacuated

AP ^ | June 19, 2002 | AP

[SBeck]

White House Briefly Evacuated
The Associated Press
Jun 19 2002 9:11PM

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House was briefly evacuated Wednesday night after a small plane failed to make radio contact with Reagan National Airport as it flew over the capital, officials said.

An F-16 military jet was scrambled and tracked the plane until it landed at the airport in Richmond, Va., law-enforcement and aviation officials said.

The evacuation was ordered 20 minutes after President Bush returned to the building from a Republican fund-raising event at the Washington Convention Center.

Bush remained in the White House throughout the evacuation, a senior administration official said.

Law enforcement officials said a Cessna plane was flying southwest in restricted airspace over the capital and failed to make radio contact with the control towers at Reagan National Airport. The plane then changed direction, prompting the Secret Service to end the evacuation.

In response, at least one F-16 was scrambled and tracked the plane until it landed, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Within 15 minutes of the evacuation, staff was allowed to return to the building.

It was the first evacuation of the White House since Sept. 11, when the building was thought to be a target of one of the hijacked jetliners used in the attack on New York and Washington.

The evacuation occurred just hours after a separate incident in which the nearby Federal Reserve building was evacuated because of a suspicious package, which turned out to be harmless.

[SBeck]

Chances are it was a lost comms situation and the plane continued to its destination via assigned, vectored, expected or filed route.

[Arkinsaw]

Whoever it was is going to have a long and unhappy night but should be glad that they didn't take one up the exhaust pipe.

[SBeck]

Or exhaust stack even.

[Orion]

The White House was briefly evacuated Wednesday night

In a related story...

The unending parade of liberal do-gooder programs and the stripping of citizens of their constitutional rights was briefly halted on Wednesday night

Glad to know the Cessna is no longer a threat. How about the 8000 Central Americans who broke into the country today?

[OldFriend]

Are you really Rush Limbaugh or Pat Buchanan?

[TomGuy]

Cessna. Could it be this one:

from augusta.com

Authorities offer photo of stolen Cessna 172 </MCC HEAD>

Web posted Thursday, June 13, 2002
</MCC DATE>

 Have a thought? Go to the Forums or Chat.

By Greg Rickabaugh </MCC BYLINE1>
Staff Writer

Richmond County Sheriff's Office investigators have released a photograph of a plane that was reported stolen from Daniel Field last weekend.

Sheriff's Maj. Ken Autry said his agency is working to establish a reward for information on the whereabouts of the missing 1979 Cessna 172.

The plane is a white, single-engine plane with orange and brown stripes. Its tail number is N6468E, and the serial number is 17272021.

On Wednesday, police said it is likely that more than one person was involved in the theft, which could make it easier to get information.

Investigators are searching regional airports that might have been the landing area for the plane.

</MCC PHOTO>

  Investigators released this photo of a Cessna 172 plane stolen from Daniel Field last weekend. The aircraft is white with orange and brown stripes, and its tail number is N6468E. </MCC CAPTION> SPECIAL</MCC CREDIT>

Airport officials have downplayed any link to a terrorist threat, saying the single-engine plane was probably hot-wired and flown out of the airport for a joy ride or because it is a popular model.

The owner, Terry Florie, reported the plane stolen after he could not locate it in any of the airport hangars.

Anyone with information about the missing plane is asked to call the sheriff's office at (706) 821-1080.

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (706) 828-3851 or greg.rickabaugh@augustachronicle.com.

</MCC STORY>

[jae471]

Chances are it was a lost comms situation and the plane continued to its destination via assigned, vectored, expected or filed route.

Last I checked, the only small craft allowed inside to 15nm radius from National were the aircraft based at College Park, Potomac, and Hyde fields. And they are all to file flight plans with Lynchburg and keep transponders on, broadcasting codes assigned by the Secret Service, whenever inside the said zone. Hyde was closed on May 17, because of security problems, Potomac is southeast of DC, and if he was comming from College Park, he should have flown around DC, not over it.

He should not have even been close to the capitol. My question is why he was not picked up when he crossed the 15nm line.

[jae471]

one F-16 was scrambled and tracked the plane until it landed,

How does an F-16 keep from falling out of the sky when following a Cessna?

[Orion]

What would make you think I am either?

[SBeck]

The Cessna was probably running at just below Vno (about 120 knots). I think an F-16 can probably slow flight at that speed without stalling or having its altitude deteriorate. Any fast mover jockeys out there that can confirm this?

[SBeck]

Ping for ANN.

[SpottedBeaver]

How does an F-16 keep from falling out of the sky when following a Cessna?

He can fly circles around the Cessna. Literally!

[foreverfree]

Last I checked, the only small craft allowed inside to 15nm radius from National were the aircraft based at College Park, Potomac, and Hyde fields.

Where's Hyde airport?

foreverfree

[SBeck]

assigned broadcasting codes assigned by the Secret Service

The SS is now assigning transponder codes in the DC area? Since when did they join the FAA and did they go through OKC to get their CTO and facility rating?

[jae471]

About a mile from Potomac. Hyde and Potomac have problems because they are so close.

[jae471]

The SS assigned "PIN" numbers to be used as transponder codes to pilots who were based at Hyde, Potomac, and College Park in February.

Here's the AOPA link: First step toward reopening Maryland airports

---

[Kerberos]

"The unending parade of liberal do-gooder programs and the stripping of citizens of their constitutional rights was briefly halted on Wednesday night "

LOL. Thanks, I needed that.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Where's Hyde airport?

Hyden... ;0)

[bootless]

The F-16 would have to execute the "Turns Around a Cessna" maneuver!

[DoughtyOne]

I would suspect he could stay at altitude and monitor on radar. The Cesna may not have actually flown directly over the White House. It may have just entered failsafe territory. Who knows. At any rate, the jet may not have had to close on the craft since it go directly over the White House or drop to dangerous levels. The guy may have been at 5,000 to 7,500 feet for all we know.