Pilot involved in D.C. intercept confident in security network (AF Pilot not the scarred kid)

Air Force Links ^ | May 13, 2005 | Donna Miles

[AZHua87]

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- One of the F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots who intercepted a private plane that strayed into restricted airspace here May 11 said he was prepared to use force if necessary to prevent a potential attack, and expressed confidence in the security system protecting the nation's capital.

Lt. Col. Tim Lehman, of the District of Columbia Air National Guard's 121st Fighter Squadron, said he was surprised when the Cessna's pilot did not initially respond to signals meant to change his course.

Colonel Lehman's F-16 fighter jet made three passes by the plane, dropping warning flares to get the pilot to veer west, away from the White House and Capitol, he said. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the Cessna came within three miles of the White House before turning away.

While acknowledging that he was prepared to shoot down the plane if necessary, Colonel Lehman said that decision comes from higher-level authorities "outside of my cockpit."

The Washington, D.C., area has "multiple layers" of defense against terrorist attacks, including ground-based assets capable of engaging "targets of interest" if necessary, he said.

Colonel Lehman said he is convinced these defense layers "would have stopped an aircraft" before it was able to hit.

Colonel Lehman's unit is part of the 113th Wing, an Air National Guard unit that has served on rotational duty supporting Operation Noble Eagle since shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

[AZHua87]

Just for you Zoomies out there.

[AFPhys]

This aircraft is lucky to be in one piece. Really lucky.

Rumor is the FAA is not going to let this go quietly. Personally, I think the IP should be heavily fined, and license suspended even if it was not intentional.

Last traffic violation I got hammered for wasn't intentional, either.

[AZHua87]

Well if the ground chief is anything like the ones on active duty they're both being punished. They probably got handed a hose, mop, rags, bucket and told to clean the foul smelling mess out of the cabin that they made.

[Kozak]

Wonder what a Cessna 150 would look like after it got nailed by a Sidewinder.

[sgtbono2002]

I remember when the Chinese decided to play chicken with one of our reconnaissance planes They got that plane bumping good and it was a lot bigger than a Cessna. I bet an F-15 hitting afterburner over the top of this plane would cause a bowel movement.

[AZHua87]

Ever done turning work on a metal lathe an got a shaving in you finger? That's about the biggest piece you'd find.

[Dog]

Little pieces....

[AZHua87]

Either way the ground crew shief is telling the IP and the Student Pilot that they have to clean out the inside.

[razorback-bert]

[Babu]

... Not to be cold, but 3 miles from the White House, these Darwin Award candidates should have been shot down before they even got even that close. And it should not have been a direct hit -- they should have shot a wing off, so it sorta spiraled down, in case it had been full of C-4 explosives.

[Old Student]

"Wonder what a Cessna 150 would look like after it got nailed by a Sidewinder."

You've seen the confetti they throw off buildings in NYC during parades? Exactly like that. (with the possible exception of the engine block...)

[randog]

Have we heard any explanation as to why the instructor ignored all visual and radio communications?

[AZHua87]

Not yet. Like I said the ground chief probably has him a little busy right now cleaning the cabin out of the mess he and his student made when they realized that they were only seconds away from getting shot down by an F-16.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[Dashing Dasher]

Ping-able?

[Dashing Dasher]

Love the graphic!

The potential Darwin Winners should lose their tickets for the rest of their adult lives - that's for sure...
Not sure about the "shoot 'em down" idea - but they should be riding in the back of a freighter for the rest of their lives and never see a cockpit again.

And that's from a pilot.

[GregoryFul]

Well, the Wall Street crowd got a nice lesson! Let's see, short some index, have some small plane invade DC airspace, go long slightly before the all clear, make a fortune!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Textide]

Never flown a plane anywhere near this airspace, but I would think that something looking like this on my sectional would make me be a little more careful than normal.