F-16 stops small plane in Obama's LA airspace

[June 07, 2012]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An F-16 fighter jet intercepted a small private plane after it entered airspace that was restricted for President Barack Obama's fundraising visit on Wednesday night.

The single-engine Cessna 117 was intercepted and forced to land shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Obama was at the Beverly Hilton at the time, and was later taken to the Regent Beverly Wilshire for a 600-person campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles held by gay and lesbian supporters.

The plane was intercepted northwest of Los Angeles and landed without incident at an airfield in Camarillo, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.

FAA officials would interview the pilot, whose name was not released, Gregor said.

There have been similar incidents when Obama visited Los Angeles in the past.

In May, a pilot mistakenly flew into restricted airspace as the president was about to leave the city from Los Angeles International Airport.

A similar scenario played out during Obama's February visit, when F-16 jets intercepted a plane that entered the airspace of Obama's helicopter, Marine One.

That plane was forced to land at Long Beach Airport, where police said they found about 40 pounds of marijuana during a search of the Cessna, and the pilot was arrested.

[Associated Press]

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