Small aircraft violates restricted US airspace

Airline Industry Information, July 5, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A small aircraft violated the restricted airspace around the US presidential retreat of Camp David while President George W. Bush was spending the weekend there.

The small Cessna aircraft was intercepted by two F-16 fighters about eight miles from Camp David at around 2245 local time on Saturday (2 July), a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.

The pilot was forced to land at Frederick Municipal Airport and was questioned but was later released without being charged, said a Secret Service spokesperson.

The White House declined to comment on whether the president had to be evacuated from the area during the incident.

This is a second such incident in a week - on 29 June another small private aircraft entered restricted airspace over Washington DC.

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