Private Plane Flies Into Restricted Airspace Over La Guardia

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

A privately owned single-engine airplane flew into restricted airspace above La Guardia Airport yesterday afternoon, then buzzed down the East River and circled the Statue of Liberty before being intercepted by police air patrols.

The Nassau County Aviation Unit, responding to calls from aviation officials, escorted the plane, a propeller-driven Mooney M20C, to Republic Airport on Long Island, where the authorities believe the plane took off. The pilot, whom the police did not identify, was interviewed and released, and the police said he had traversed La Guardia's restricted airspace by accident and never posed a security threat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/nyregion/29PLAN.html (requires registration)

According to several of the radio and TV stations here in NY, he also overflew The Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, East River Bridges and the Verazano Bridge.

[demsrule4life]

1. This pilot is in definite need of more

navigation practice.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

4. No kidding. Since the NY Post reports this...

The moran claims to have confused the East River with the Hudson? I am not sure he should be allowed to fly VFR at all. How does he find his airport?

http://nypost.com/news/regionalnews/14692.htm

[tsipple]

2. Happens ALL THE TIME

Over 2,000 times, actually, since 9/11.

See Pilots for Dean (link below) for some information on what are called "TFRs" ("Temporary Flight Restrictions").

By the way, I fly a Mooney M20E model, which is the same airframe with a slightly more powerful engine. Small world.

[arcane1]

3. they "escorted the plane"? Why don't we do that with airliners?

Payne Stewart's tiny plane was escorted, too...

but on 9/11? With FOUR giantpassenger liners? Silence...

[T Bone]

5. yup, arcane, no fighter escorts for the passenger liners on 911

Why won't God's chosen president explain that to us?
What is he hiding?