F-16s escort small plane to El Monte Airport after it violated presidential airspace

EL MONTE — A small airplane was escorted to the ground in El Monte Friday after the pilot violated restricted air space put in place during President Barack Obama’s visit to Los Angeles.
The incident was reported about 9:45 a.m. when officials noticed a 1975 Piper 28 airplane had entered a 30-mile radius of restricted air space, according to El Monte police and North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said.
NORAD officials scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to meet the airplane after the pilot failed to respond to attempts to contact him via radio, El Monte police Lt. Dan Burlingham said.
The fighter pilots made visual contact with the pilot and used hand signals to gesture him to the ground, the lieutenant said.
“After intercepting the aircraft, the F-16s followed it until it landed without incident, at approximately (9:50 a.m.), where the plane was met by local law enforcement,” according to a written statement issued by NORAD.
“The secret service came,” Burlingham said.”
Agents interviewed the pilot and searched his plane, finding nothing suspicious, the lieutenant said.
“He just wasn’t paying attention,” he said.
After a brief detention, the pilot was allowed to again take off and continue on his way.
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