Posted on 06/19/2002 6:57:33 PM PDT by 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.
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?
Authorities offer photo of stolen Cessna 172 </MCC HEAD>
Web posted Thursday, June 13, 2002
By Greg Rickabaugh </MCC BYLINE1>
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.
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> |
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.
How does an F-16 keep from falling out of the sky when following a Cessna?
He can fly circles around the Cessna. Literally!
Where's Hyde airport?
foreverfree
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?
Here's the AOPA link: First step toward reopening Maryland airports
LOL. Thanks, I needed that.
Hyden... ;0)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.