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CNN Live At Daybreak

White House Evacuated for 15 Minutes

Aired June 20, 2002 - 05:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It was scramble time at the White House, as a small plane flew where it was not supposed to. It caused a small panic, as the White House was evacuated for 15 minutes. Officials say the single engine Cessna 182 had been scheduled to fly to Raleigh, North Carolina but surprise. Two fighter jets suddenly surrounded it and escorted the small plane to Byrd Airport in Richmond, Virginia.

The pilot and the passenger, both white men, were taken into custody for questioning by federal authorities. Officials say the pilot changed course to avoid bad weather and he chose badly. Eventually, the Cessna was allowed to go on its way.

As it turns out, CNN's John King was doing a live report from the White House lawn when the plane invaded restricted air space and he, like other reporters, were asked to leave.

Later, John talked about the incident.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was shortly after eight o'clock. We were told that a small Cessna plane, a single engine plane, entered or at least skirted the restricted airspace about four miles away from the White House because it was not responding to the radio control -- the tower's effort to reach it by radio.

Security protocols kicked in here at the White House, uniformed Secret Service agents telling all the staff in the West Wing, all the reporters here in the West Wing to evacuate the premises. Mr. Bush and the first lady were in the residence at the time. We are told that additional agents were deployed but that the situation was resolved before they reached the point where they would have taken the president and the first lady to secure bunkers underneath the White House here.

Now, two F-16 jets scrambled to intercept this plane. It was escorted and eventually landed in Richmond, Virginia. Everyone believes this was a misunderstanding, that the pilot inadvertently wandered into restricted air space. But he is being interviewed just in case.

Officials here at the White House say the president was never in danger and they say these security protocols are in place, though, and it was a necessary evacuation once that plane skirted into the White House air space.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In fact, President and Mrs. Bush never left the White House and that pilot, well, he may be subjected to fines and maybe the revocation of his license. We'll keep you posted.

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