Plane Enters LGA Without OK

new york newsday ^ | 12/28/03

[knak]

A small plane flew into LaGuardia Airport airspace without permission Sunday afternoon, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The incident happened around 1:45 p.m. when the craft, a Mooney M20C flying south, entered the airport's space, said FAA spokesman Jim Peters. Air traffic controllers tried to make contact with the pilot, who continued down the East River.

Peters said authorities were investigating reports that the craft circled the Statue of Liberty. It was intercepted by the Nassau County Aviation Unit and came down at Republic Airport on Long Island, he said.

[StatesEnemy]

Wonder how many HUD's had that plane in their sites... living dangerously indeed.

[cheesebus]

Where the hell were the F-16s for that?

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Yep, I was wondering where our F-15, or F-18 were to escort this craft to the landing strip. I hope that they just weren't mentioned in the article.

One of these days some snot-nosed pilot is going to get uncooperative just once......

[TomGuy]

Air traffic controllers tried to make contact with the pilot, who continued down the East River.

Pilot ignores controller contact?

Authorities were looking into whether any other aircraft had been in its path,

[Sounds kind of ominous.]

Officials did not immediately release the pilot's identity.

Nah, surely not something like Mohammad or Achmed or Akbar. Probably a Smith or Jones.

[tubavil]

Under 1000 ft., no radio contact, airspace violation, all under orange+ alert!?!?!

[rageaholic]

That Mooney is a nice plane, a guy with the wherewithall to rent/own one shouldn't be making that kind of clown mistake, but you certainly don't have to be a genius to get a PPL.

[fso301]

Plane specifications if anyone's interested Click Here

[_Jim]

Yep, I was wondering where our F-15, or F-18 were to escort this craft

15/16/18's would be overkill for a Mooney wouldn't you reckon?

Besides - wouldn't a stray Mooney be a nice 'draw' to take those more capable flying platforms away from more important guard duty?

[zeebee]

it could be that his radio went out. Happened to me once.

[genefromjersey]

Probably some "superior" person who feels rules apply only to lesser beings.

We've all met somebody like that: someone with that rich combination of ignorance and arrogance that makes life such a joy.

[buffyt]

My future son in law is US Navy, Calif., and he works on the electrical/repair of F-18s. I am SO PROUD OF HIM~~~!!!!!!

[magslinger]

The plane was registered to a company with an address in Wilmington, Del., according to the FAA's online records. No telephone number for the company could be found.

Excerpt from original article.

How odd! I wonder if the address will check out? /sarc.

[jocko12]

And they did'nt shoot him down.I feel safe now landing in a com. airline at a major airport.HA

[ChefKeith]

For those concerned about no fighter aircraft doint an intercept on this, what We have running CAP would not even need to leave the CAP Station altitude to splash an aircraft like this.

There would be a visual I.D. by an aircraft that can fly closer to the same speed without stalling and if needed after that the pursuit would all be done by RADAR and FOX1 = SPLASH = The End.

[ChefKeith]

doint = doing

[RckyRaCoCo]

The plane was registered to a company with an address in Wilmington, Del., according to the FAA's online records

also

(Dec. 26) Morning -- Federal investigators are at the scene of the deadly airplane crash that killed six people Thursday at the North Las Vegas airport. The privately owned single engine plane crashed at the airport on Christmas Day as it was attempting to take off. All six of the passengers, four adults and two children died in the fiery crash. FAA records show that the plane was built in 1980 and was owned by Pat Car Air Incorporated of Wilmington, Delaware. But private plane owners say that many aircraft are incorporated in Delaware, but are based out of other cities because Delaware has a favorable base for airplanes.

hmmm...

[Viking2002]

Man, if this dude isn't a terrorist, he ought to get the rubber hose treatment for sheer, abject stupidity.......I think he can safely kiss that license goodbye.

[_Jim]

this plane should have been splashed into the East River without a second thought.

Overblown, knee-jerk reaction proposed in the absence of 'a full set of facts' ...