Oct 23, 2004
F-16 chases plane away as Bush addresses crowd at Space Coast StadiumN.Y. pilot released, says he was unaware of flight restrictions
By John McCarthy, R. Norman Moody, Kate Brennan, Craig Bailey
A F-16 intercepts a small plane that flew near the Space Coast Stadium today while President Bush was speaking there. (FLORIDA TODAY/Emily Barnes)
FLORIDA TODAY
Security agents this afternoon released the pilot of a small plane hours after it was intercepted and escorted to a landing by an F-16 fighter as President Bush was addressing the crowd at Space Coast Stadium in Viera.
Robert A. Hargrove, of Wappingers Falls, N.Y., told reporters he was unaware of temporary flight restrictions set up in Brevard County by the Federal Aviation Administration for Bush's visit.
The fighter intercepted the bright yellow, single-engine Aeronca over Space Coast Stadium and escorted it to Merritt Island Airport, where Hargrove was questioned.
He was allowed to continue on his way to Boca Raton about two hours later.
"I'm sure I'll be hearing from some others, including the FAA," Hargrove said as he prepared to leave.
Hargrove said he had set out from Brunswick, Ga., this morning, landed for fuel and lunch in Flagler County and headed south again. He said he knew of flight restrictions around Jacksonville, and made a wide circle around the city, but didn't know of anything unusual over Brevard.
Upon overflying Space Coast Stadium, he circled to see what the crowd was about.
He realized something was wrong when the fighter closed in. Hargrove switched to an emergency radio frequency, on which he was ordered to land at Merritt Island.
"The president was never in any danger," said White House spokesman Trent Duffy.
The roar of the F-16 was loud enough to drown out Bush, who looked up as the jet passed overhead.
"I thought we were going to see a plane shot down," A.W. Luckett of Titusville said.
Said Amy Courtney, a University of Central Florida student, "You could notice people looking and asking what is going on?"
Roy Carter of Melbourne, a military veteran, said: "I thought they did a correct job by chasing it out of the area. It indicates they were on the ball."
"When they had the F-16 roaring behind it, I knew they had it under control," he said.
Renee Blackburn of Satellite Beach saw the event unfolding and knew what might happen because her husband flies rescue helicopters for the Air Force.
"I know how they move people out of the way and I knew there were planes up there," she said. "I saw the fighters and knew it was OK."
