Pilot Strays Into Restricted Airspace Over Bush Ranch

IHT ^ | 1-1-2007 | AP

[blam]

Pilot strays into restricted airspace over Bush ranch

The Associated PressPublished: January 1, 2007

WASHINGTON: A small plane twice strayed into restricted airspace over President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, authorities said Monday.

The violation was inadvertent, FAA spokeswoman Diane Stitaliere said.

The propeller plane, a Maule M-7, wandered into restricted airspace above the ranch around 11:30 p.m. local time Sunday, prompting the scrambling of F-16 fighter jets, said Air Force Maj. April Cunningham, spokeswoman for the North American Aerospace Defence Command.

The jets used flares to get the attention of the pilot, who landed and was interviewed by authorities before being sent on his way, according to NORAD and the Secret Service.

[SevenofNine]

What a moron LOL!

[TADSLOS]

[jmq]

A little drastic to get your own private airshow......

[TADSLOS]

Happens more often than is reported.

[indcons]

"The violation was inadvertent...."

Certainly not a muslim then.

[magslinger]

I was curious as to what the plane looked like. This one was just too funny to pass up:

[cmsgop]

LOL! Hold muh beer and watch this!

[Beth528]

This happens all the time here..one day I was sitting at my computer when I heard this noise like a jet was going to land on my roof the house shook..My husband was out cutting and he said it looked like the jet was very close he could almost see the pilot..I can tell you these young men sure do their jobs because no one gets very close to the Ranch...it is a few miles down the road from us..

[mkjessup]

Great. Next time it'll be Cindy Sheewhine doing her worst impression of the Red Baron.

[Cindy]

Thanks Beth.

It's good to know the good guys are on the job.

[taxesareforever]

Strayed twice? Just shows how defense of the President is lacking. If this had been a terrorist he would have carried out his mission without being intercepted.

[Not A Snowbird]

Aircraft don't "wander".

Unless the pilot was allowing his 7-year-old to drive while he took a nap.

[txhurl]

They put W & family in an armored car the other day at the ranch when a tornado looked likely.

Thought that sounded funny. Certainly there's underground places to go.

[OldFriend]

Have you ever flown a single engine plane?

[taxesareforever]

Yeah, that does sound funny. What kind of a Secret Service do we have? They need to take the "Secret" off of it. More like McDonalds service.

[Beth528]

I don't think he has anything to worry about...Most of the time this happens these are student pilots and they stray...I can assure you the guys up there bring the planes to a screeching halt..when they get to near the Ranch...When the president is home he is well protected and during a high terrorist alert there is an AWAX up in the sky..cause I can hear that one also..

[Beth528]

You are not telling the whole story here..Yes they did put GW and Laura in an armored car when the tornadoes were very near but they were headed to the shelter when GW said he and Laura would stay in the armored car...The secret service guys are great guys my son knows a few of them...I have met two and believe me they love the President and Laura and would never let anything they could help hurt them..The reason my son knows them is he is a Waco Policeman ..

[Beth528]

Believe me they are on the job and ready to protect our president...

[txhurl]

Oh, no, not dissing SS at all. I didn't hear the whole story, and thanks for rounding me out.

I drove immediately thru the F5 wreckage of May '97 and one stunner was an F-150 upside down in a live oak at Walgreen's.