Stolen Cessna Pursued by Jet Fighters Lands on Highway
Pilot Took Off Running After Landing Plane, Officials Say
By PIERRE THOMAS and LUIS MARTINEZ
WASHINGTON, April 6, 2009—
A Cessna stolen from a Canadian flight school landed on a Missouri highway late today, after being pursued for hours across the Midwest by fighter jets ready to shoot it down if it was determined to be a threat.
The single engine Cessna 172 landed on U.S. Highway 60 in Missouri around 9 p.m. CT, and according to sources the pilot ran from the plane.
There were no reports of injuries on the ground.
The plane had been escorted by two F-16 fighter jets since shortly after it crossed into U.S. airspace from Canada, and the pilot did not respond to multiple requests that he establish communications with ground controllers.
A Customs and Border Protection aircraft was also closely monitoring the Cessna.
The plane entered American airspace over Michigan's Upper Peninsula at 3:25 p.m. today and was trailed by the military aircraft since 4:43 p.m. as it flew over Minnesota, south through Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.
At one point, the Wisconsin state capitol building in Madison was evacuated as a precaution as the plane flew over the city.
Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario, confirmed to ABC News that one of its aircraft was stolen today and flown out of Thunder Bay International Airport at 2:55 p.m.
In a statement released later today, the college said it was working with local police "to recover the airplane and identify the individual flying the airplane."
Details are scarce as to the identity of the pilot, but NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said the pilot is a student at the flight school and that his motives are unknown.
The F-16 pilots have made visual contact with the pilot and "know that the person that's flying the aircraft knows that the [F-16] aircraft are there, [he] is unresponsive to their non-verbal directions and is not in contact with the FAA controllers," Kucharek said.
FAA officials also said the Cessna's pilot did not respond to repeated efforts to hail him on all radio frequencies.
When asked if the fighter jets might have to shoot down the aircraft if it shows hostile intent, Kucharek told ABC News that could happen.
"NORAD pilots, once authorized by higher authority, are authorized to use everything within their power to protect U.S. citizens, up to and including lethal force," he said.
"It is unclear whether the pilot understands how much danger he's in," a government official told ABC News.
Kucharek said it costs roughly $50,000 per hour/per jet to scramble F-16s. From the time the plane was initially intercepted over Lake Superior near the Michigan Upper peninsular until it landed on the Missouri highway, it was followed by two F-16s for more than five hours -- a likely tab of $500,000.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was flying for a while at 14,500 feet. Over 10,000 feet the air is quite thin and commercial planes would be pressurized, but the Cessna 172 is not. As a result, the pilot could be suffering from hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, which can lead to confusion.
The plane later dropped its altitude to 3,700 feet, where there is more oxygen.
Another government official said the plane did not seem to be showing any hostile intent.
"It had opportunities to go into heavily populated areas, and it has not done so," the official said. "It appears to be veering around. Not going to urban air space."
ABC News' Lisa Stark contributed to this report.
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