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CNN Live At Daybreak
D.C. Intrusion Incident; Deadly Decision; Travel Trouble
Aired May 12, 2005 - 06:29 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 is the day after the big scare in D.C. when that plane intruded into restricted airspace, forcing the evacuation of the White House, Capitol Hill buildings and the Supreme Court.
Let's check in with CNN Radio's Dick Uliano, who is in Washington this morning.
Good morning -- Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO: Good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: I understand you were in the middle of it. Tell us about it.
ULIANO: Well, here at the CNN bureau, we were basically just watching events unfold. There were CNN personnel in the field who were delivering blow by blow descriptions to us, including Suzanne Malveaux at the White House who was scrambling out of that building, Joe Johns at the Capitol, running out of that building. You know, it was another Washington skedaddle basically. And they did an excellent job of giving us an idea of what was transpiring.
We looked out the window, and you could clearly see a U.S. Air Force F-16 in maneuvers above the White House from the CNN bureau here in Washington not far from the Capitol. And I have to tell you, Carol, it was a bit reminiscent of 9/11, because although you thought this could be a mistaken intrusion, you didn't know. And like 9/11, you were wondering what is about to happen? What's going to happen next?
COSTELLO: Right, because basically you're just running away to somewhere. There's no specific point that you're going to. You're just running.
ULIANO: Well, also it's the thought that, are we under attack? You know, clearly on 9/11 we were, and you were wondering, you know, as this attack unfolded, what was going to happen next.
Yesterday, the question was, are we under attack? And that's why you see people moving quickly away from buildings. Secret Service agents, for example, in the uniformed division, Suzanne Malveaux reported, were saying, "Run, run." You know, "This is not a joke, run, run." And that's what people did from the Capitol, from the White House, from the Supreme Court, probably more than 35,000 people in all. COSTELLO: All right, Dick, I was there on 9/11, and that scene is very reminiscent. It was very chaotic in Washington, D.C., because nobody knew what to tell people. In this instance, the mayor of Washington, D.C. was not told of this incident until after it was over. I understand he's quite upset about that this morning.
ULIANO: Well, you could understand that the mayor of the capital city would want to know as soon as some potential problem unfolded in his city.
But you have to consider also, Carol, this entire alert last about 18 minutes, by my estimation. The Capitol police officer, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terry Gainer, said he first heard of the intrusion at five minutes before noon. And White House spokesman Scott McClellan says that everything went back to yellow alert, I guess it was about 11 minutes after noontime.
So, it was approximately an 18-minute alert, and certainly there wouldn't be time to tell everybody, because, as you say, there is a degree of chaos, confusion if you will, and people are trying to get themselves secure.
COSTELLO: Well, maybe city officials could have helped out with that chaotic scene, but I don't know. I'm just asking questions.
The other question I had, the president was not informed until after he concluded his bike ride, because he was away from the White House. He says he's OK with that. Are there questions about that this morning?
ULIANO: Well, White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the president was informed by his Secret Service detail at this bike ride in Waldorf, Maryland. And that he was first informed when it went to yellow alert, according to McClellan. But they didn't talk about it again, according to McClellan, until the conclusion of the bike ride.
And McClellan says all of this is going to be reviewed. There will be an after-action report by the Secret Service as to how everything went. You'd think, observing it yesterday, that there have been improvements since 9/11. People do move, for example, more quickly in getting out of buildings when being evacuated. But perhaps mistakes were made, and all of it is going to be reviewed.
COSTELLO: Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning. Thank you.
A flight of interest, how the NORAD system works when the danger could be flying overhead.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at that and what else is coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Yes, in fact, NORAD scrambled two fighter jets and a Black Hawk helicopter to try to intercept that Cessna. So, how close did they come to shooting it down? We're going to talk this morning with an Air Force colonel with NORAD.
Plus, we want to tell you about a surgical nightmare for a mother in Illinois. This is a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have a mastectomy. Well, guess what? It turns out she didn't have breast cancer. It turns out the mastectomy was a big mistake. The hospital now blames a lab mix-up. She's going to talk to us about the painful surgery, what's ahead for her and her family as well.
That's this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, we'll be there. Thank you, Soledad.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, waiting for orders to strike. Just ahead, our Kyra Phillips spoke with one of the fighters who escorted the lost plane to safety.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking the international markets this morning. The Nikkei down almost 43 points, the British FTSE is up 33 points almost, and the German DAX is down over 35 points this morning.
We've been talking today about that nightmare scenario, having to give an order to shoot down a plane that enters restricted airspace. In yesterday's incident involving a small plane, that decision, thankfully, did not have to be made. But what's it like when that scenario becomes a possibility?
Here is CNN's Kyra Phillips.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aircraft diverted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aircraft contact failed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secret Service has been informed.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They call it the air war against terrorists. And this is the battlefield.
The potential enemy? A civilian aircraft under terrorist control.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are getting serious.
PHILLIPS: The strategy? To end every incident without firing a shot. But 9/11 spawned a new kind of war with chilling new rules of engagement. In this war, the military is forced to think the unthinkable.
LT. COL. T.G. KYRAZIS, U.S. AIR FORCE: I don't think the public would have stood for anything -- us firing on commercial airliners in the past. But it's been proven that, yes, something worse might happen. So, we're just kind of an extension of the public will.
PHILLIPS: The Lieutenant Colonel T.G. Kyrazis and Major John Black of the 125th Fighter Wing are getting ready for a routine patrol in southeast U.S. airspace. These Florida Air National Guard F-15 fighter pilots are battle ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Check the back end of the gun. Make sure it is all hot and the bullets are loaded in the chambers. Check our heat seeker. Make sure that all looks good.
PHILLIPS: We're going along on a mission that shows what might happen if a commercial airliner is hijacked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Raptor One copies. (INAUDIBLE).
PHILLIPS: It doesn't take long before this mission is diverted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All attempts at contact with this aircraft have failed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: FAA, can you give me a mode 3 on that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 5012, Jimmy.
PHILLIPS: Something is not right with a passenger plane over the Atlantic Ocean.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Break, break, this is (INAUDIBLE) battle commander. We have a NORDO airliner.
PHILLIPS: NORDO, no radio contact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your NORDO aircraft is Falcon Airlines 401, Miami to Wilmington, metro liner.
PHILLIPS: Military intelligence and the FAA want to know everything about this airliner.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the range of how far they think it would fly on 3,400 pounds of gas.
PHILLIPS: Could this aircraft reach critical infrastructure?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has deviated from the flight path.
PHILLIPS: These commanders take no chances.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This time we have committed Rattler 01, flight 2 out of the Jaguar Cap (ph). UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mission, intercept, shadow, commit bull's eye 100158, 21,500 track west.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we're attached now.
PHILLIPS: Fighters now monitor Falcon Flight's 401 every move. Then...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The aircraft is now at squawk at 7500 squawk.
PHILLIPS: ... 7500 is the code for hijack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obtain permission for fighter to be intercept?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See if they can give us any indication of who is in control of the aircraft.
PHILLIPS: Pilots attempt hand signals. No response. Pilots rock their winning. Still no response.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It should acknowledge with the ring arch, which he's not doing.
PHILLIPS: Two generals are brought in and briefed, one from the Canadian Air Force, one from the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Souls on board?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fourteen passengers, two crew, one Pakistani, one Saudi, one French, the others are presumed to be of United States descent. Fighters are on it now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My concern is, we could have something else in this country. So, we're going to keep our focus on this thing, but we're also going to keep focus on the rest of the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The J-PAC has authorized the use of flares to get the pilots' attention.
PHILLIPS: Now is the final attempt to get this pilot to respond. If he doesn't, the order could come to shoot this aircraft down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we have an engagement authority?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, we have engagement authority on line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Raptor One copies. Flares are authorized.
PHILLIPS: Flares are released. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now the guy realizes this is serious. Now he's coming left, following me.
PHILLIPS: The pilot finally responds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think we should ever relax. And we are going to have to continue to prosecute this enemy until they no longer present a threat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Active air scramble. Active air scramble.
PHILLIPS: A new kind of war, a new way of fighting. A battle in which a commander's best choice may be the lesser of two evils. And the battle cry is, "Never again."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, Carol, I talked with the F-16 pilot last night, who flew the intercept on the Cessna headed toward the White House. I asked him if he received the order to shoot down that aircraft. He said, "No." I also asked him how he got the pilot to turn away from the White House and land that Cessna safely. He said he gave all of the military visual signals, including dropping the flares, like you saw in that piece.
But what got the pilot of that Cessna to land was the radio communication. The F-16 pilot from the 121st Fighter Squadron finally made contact with the Cessna pilot on the guard frequency; in other words, the emergency frequency, 121 decimal 5. He said the pilot sounded nervous, but he listened and he landed that small plane safely, the best-case scenario.
COSTELLO: I bet he sounded nervous. You know, Kyra, we had an e-mail question this morning. We were wondering if people thought that they should have shot that plane down. I mean, it came within three miles of the White House. It was traveling at, what, about 100 miles per hour? That's -- it will be at the White House in one minute. So, they said, don't take chances. Shoot it down.
What did the pilots in the F-16s think about this? Because I know what you're going to say, but emotionally they have to be thinking about it that way as well.
PHILLIPS: Well, of course. I mean, they know that at any time that that call could be made from the president of the United States, from NORAD. But in this case, it didn't have to happen. And reason being, that F-16 pilot, when he locked on to that Cessna and he did everything he was supposed to do and finally made contact, I mean, this happens in a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds. He realized, and NORAD realized, that this guy was not a threat. He was not a terrorist. It was not a terrorist threat. So, in now way, shape or form would they ever consider shooting it down.
COSTELLO: So, did the pilots communicate with those on those on the ground, telling them that information? PHILLIPS: Absolutely. What happens is the F-16 pilot, as soon as he sees the target and develops this relationship with the pilot, if he can, and he gets all of the information, NORAD is also working the tail number and information on that pilot. I mean, they knew where this plane came from. They knew the background on this plane. They realized it was a student and an instructor. I mean, they knew all of that. And everyone is communicating, so they know that it's not a threat and they know they just have to communicate with the pilot and steer him...
COSTELLO: OK.
PHILLIPS: ... or her, you know, to landing. You were saying?
COSTELLO: I have one more question.
PHILLIPS: OK.
COSTELLO: I know what you're saying. I have one more question. The restricted airspace is 15 miles, a 15-mile circumference. This plane got within three. Why didn't they intercept the plane sooner and stop it sooner?
PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, they were up and ready. As soon as that plane entered the restricted airspace, all of the signals go up, the radars go up. And they're there. I mean, they were there within seconds.
Now, it's interesting. If you look at a map -- and I've done that when I have flown in small planes. If you're not familiar with what the maps look like -- and it can be very confusing, and evidently that's what happened in this situation. You're looking at a map, and you didn't file a flight plan, you don't necessarily see that you're in restricted airspace. If you're not an expert and you're not looking for that, sometimes it can be difficulty. Allegedly, this is what happened with this pilot and the instructor. They just weren't paying attention to details. And it's confusing if you see that map.
COSTELLO: Kyra Phillips, thanks for enlightening us this morning. We appreciate it.
PHILLIPS: You bet. Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's check in with Bill Hemmer now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Same topic.
COSTELLO: What a surprise.
HEMMER: More questions. I don't know if you were watching this yesterday around noon when it was going down, but I want to know if this is the way it's supposed to go. You know, these members of Congress are coming out, Carol, and they're saying that this is exactly the drill that we have in place here. I don't know. We're going to be talking about that this morning, Carol.
Also, we're learning more about the two pilots who caused all of this commotion. Where were they headed? Did they know they were in this restricted airspace? There was a student pilot on board. His wife is quoted as saying the night before, they were talking about this flight, that they were going down to Raleigh, North Carolina, and that he knew about this restricted airspace, and they were going to fly in this corridor between the two of them. How they got off this point, I don't know. But...
COSTELLO: They got lost.
HEMMER: They did get -- quite possible. And also, based on this flight plan, they were probably flying by sight. It was a pretty good day yesterday afternoon, and you can pick out the landmarks as you go down. Was it that simple?
You know, there is a five-minute period, apparently, when there was a Black Hawk helicopter next to that Cessna. And in that five- minute period, the Black Hawk flew, apparently, right alongside that plane, and it still got within 10 miles of the White House, even after that point. How does that happen?
We're going to go live to this hometown where these guys came out of, too, there in Pennsylvania.
Another story, Carol, talking about this yesterday about this court ruling allowing United Airlines to dump its pension plans. Could it clear the way now for other companies to do the same? And what might that mean for your own pension plan? We'll look at that again today on "AMERICAN MORNING."
See you in 13 minutes. Tons to talk about, don't you think?
COSTELLO: Oh, yes, interesting stuff to talk about.
HEMMER: See you later.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: Sure.
COSTELLO: We'll be there.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, same city but very different security. A closer look at the rules protecting Dulles Airport versus Reagan National when DAYBREAK returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The small plane that accidentally flew so close to the White House and caused a scramble in the air and on the ground at airports in the D.C. area. Our travel expert, Ben Mutzabaugh, joins us now from Washington for more on this scare from a pilot's perspective.
I'm really interested in what you're going to say, Ben.
BEN MUTZABAUGH, "USA TODAY" TRAVEL REPORTER: Yes, it's interesting how they could get that far into Washington on a clear day, given all of the hoopla that's surrounded security since 9/11. It is a little mind boggling to me how they could get in that close.
COSTELLO: It is, because there are certain measures that commercial pilots have to take before they enter the airspace around Washington, isn't there?
MUTZABAUGH: That's right. You know, Reagan National Airport is about four miles from downtown Washington. So that would be the equivalent of, if you were in New York, that would be like landing your airplane at the south end of Central Park, right near the Business District. So, it's a very big security concern for the people here in Washington.
So what did they do? There is a very precise flight path that these pilots have to fly when they're landing at Reagan National. And not only that, they have to transmit, I believe it's a four-digit code to air traffic controllers before they're cleared for their final approach. And if that code doesn't match, they have to do audio confirmation with air traffic control to make sure that the pilot who is in control of the plane is the right person. And if anything is amiss, they'll divert the plane to Baltimore, or they'll divert it to Dulles. They'll make sure it won't land at national airport without those restrictions.
COSTELLO: Interesting. The other restriction that is still in place -- and I've been on planes flying into Washington -- when you fly in, you have to be in your seat for 30 minutes before the plane lands. If you're not in your seat, the plane will turn around and go someplace else. I mean, is that really effective?
MUTZABAUGH: Well, you know, I've heard both sides of that argument. There's a lot of grumbling on flights. They say, is this really necessary? It may or may not be. But you figure if there is someone on the plane who is up to something no good, it does give -- and if they stand up during the last 30 minutes and don't sit down, it does give the air marshals who are on board all flights to national airport, it does give them a target, for the lack of a better word.
And heaven forbid, should something happen on one of those flights, I would hate to be the person who decided that that measure wasn't necessary. So, there are two sides to that issue.
COSTELLO: Yes, but what do the pilots say? Do they think that these measures ensure safety?
MUTZABAUGH: I think -- that's a great question. And, again, I think it depends on which ones you talk to. I have heard some that they'll all for the security measures, and there are others who say, if it gets to that point, if that's the only difference making this plane safe or not, then there are other problems.
COSTELLO: OK. Well, new technology is about to be introduced that supposedly will make us all safer. And we're talking about these lasers. Tell us about them.
MUTZABAUGH: Right. That's something that's going to be deployed here in Washington later this month. They say mid-month, so it could be any day now. Of course, they're vague in the details. I wonder if this would have helped the pilots who flew into here yesterday.
What they'll do if they'll shoot a series of red-green lasers. They alternate colors. They shoot them toward the cockpit of any plane that violates the restricted airspace in Washington. And now, this is different than those other lasers that you heard about over the past few months that can damage the pilots' eyes. These are supposedly eye-friendly. And they are a warning to let pilots know, hey, you're somewhere you shouldn't be. Turn left. Turn right. Get out of here. And that's going to be deployed mid-month, they say.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll be awaiting its deployment. Ben Mutzabaugh, thank you for joining us live this morning. We appreciate it.
MUTZABAUGH: No problem.
COSTELLO: It's 6:52 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to vote today on President Bush's candidate for United Nations ambassador. Democrats are continuing to argue their case that John Bolton is not fit for the diplomatic post.
California jurors are to start deliberating today the fate of a man convicted of killing 5-year-old Samantha Runyon. The jury will decide if Alejandro Avilla will be put to death for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of the little girl.
And the embattled majority leader, Tom DeLay, is getting treated to a heck a love fest tonight. Conservative supporters are throwing a $250 a plate dinner to show their support of DeLay as he faces a round of ethics questions. About 900 people are expected to attend.
This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: "Now in the News."
A suicide car bomber has killed 12 people and wounded 56 others in Iraq. Police say the blast went off at a busy intersection where a mosque, post office and movie theater are located.
North Korea says it has completed a step that could enable the country to create weapons-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons. The government announced the removal of 8,000 fuel rods from a reactor at its main nuclear complex.
The White House and Capitol are calm this morning following the red alert scare that sent just about everyone there scrambling. Today, authorities will assess the effectiveness of their response to the incident of that plane intruding into restricted airspace.
John Bolton's controversial nomination to be ambassador to the United Nations goes to a vote today. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says he expects the panel to send Bolton's nomination to the full Senate.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's time to give away a coffee mug. Hey, how about that?
COSTELLO: Hey.
MARCIANO: We missed out on this yesterday. I guess we ran out of time. So, I want to give you the answers for Tuesday's coffee quiz. And we switched them around, because it was a "Jeopardy!" kind of thing. So, the answer was smoking, and the question you had to submit was, the government of Georgia banned what in public places? That would be smoking. And the second answer was Kenny Chesney. The question to that was, who married Renee Zellweger?
The winner to the right questions, it's Kelly Casper of Canton, Georgia. Congratulations to Kelly.
All right, here is your chance now to win a coffee mug. It's time for today's questions. John Bolton is up for a confirmation for what position?
COSTELLO: Oh, easy.
MARCIANO: Yes, a piece of cake. And who did supermodel Heidi Klum recently marry? Oh, to be a rock star.
CNN.com/daybreak.
COSTELLO: All right. Thanks for joining us this morning. I'm Carol Costello along with Rob Marciano today. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.
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Aired May 12, 2005 - 06:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is the day after the big scare in D.C. when that plane intruded into restricted airspace, forcing the evacuation of the White House, Capitol Hill buildings and the Supreme Court.
Let's check in with CNN Radio's Dick Uliano, who is in Washington this morning.
Good morning -- Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO: Good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: I understand you were in the middle of it. Tell us about it.
ULIANO: Well, here at the CNN bureau, we were basically just watching events unfold. There were CNN personnel in the field who were delivering blow by blow descriptions to us, including Suzanne Malveaux at the White House who was scrambling out of that building, Joe Johns at the Capitol, running out of that building. You know, it was another Washington skedaddle basically. And they did an excellent job of giving us an idea of what was transpiring.
We looked out the window, and you could clearly see a U.S. Air Force F-16 in maneuvers above the White House from the CNN bureau here in Washington not far from the Capitol. And I have to tell you, Carol, it was a bit reminiscent of 9/11, because although you thought this could be a mistaken intrusion, you didn't know. And like 9/11, you were wondering what is about to happen? What's going to happen next?
COSTELLO: Right, because basically you're just running away to somewhere. There's no specific point that you're going to. You're just running.
ULIANO: Well, also it's the thought that, are we under attack? You know, clearly on 9/11 we were, and you were wondering, you know, as this attack unfolded, what was going to happen next.
Yesterday, the question was, are we under attack? And that's why you see people moving quickly away from buildings. Secret Service agents, for example, in the uniformed division, Suzanne Malveaux reported, were saying, "Run, run." You know, "This is not a joke, run, run." And that's what people did from the Capitol, from the White House, from the Supreme Court, probably more than 35,000 people in all. COSTELLO: All right, Dick, I was there on 9/11, and that scene is very reminiscent. It was very chaotic in Washington, D.C., because nobody knew what to tell people. In this instance, the mayor of Washington, D.C. was not told of this incident until after it was over. I understand he's quite upset about that this morning.
ULIANO: Well, you could understand that the mayor of the capital city would want to know as soon as some potential problem unfolded in his city.
But you have to consider also, Carol, this entire alert last about 18 minutes, by my estimation. The Capitol police officer, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terry Gainer, said he first heard of the intrusion at five minutes before noon. And White House spokesman Scott McClellan says that everything went back to yellow alert, I guess it was about 11 minutes after noontime.
So, it was approximately an 18-minute alert, and certainly there wouldn't be time to tell everybody, because, as you say, there is a degree of chaos, confusion if you will, and people are trying to get themselves secure.
COSTELLO: Well, maybe city officials could have helped out with that chaotic scene, but I don't know. I'm just asking questions.
The other question I had, the president was not informed until after he concluded his bike ride, because he was away from the White House. He says he's OK with that. Are there questions about that this morning?
ULIANO: Well, White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the president was informed by his Secret Service detail at this bike ride in Waldorf, Maryland. And that he was first informed when it went to yellow alert, according to McClellan. But they didn't talk about it again, according to McClellan, until the conclusion of the bike ride.
And McClellan says all of this is going to be reviewed. There will be an after-action report by the Secret Service as to how everything went. You'd think, observing it yesterday, that there have been improvements since 9/11. People do move, for example, more quickly in getting out of buildings when being evacuated. But perhaps mistakes were made, and all of it is going to be reviewed.
COSTELLO: Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning. Thank you.
A flight of interest, how the NORAD system works when the danger could be flying overhead.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at that and what else is coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Yes, in fact, NORAD scrambled two fighter jets and a Black Hawk helicopter to try to intercept that Cessna. So, how close did they come to shooting it down? We're going to talk this morning with an Air Force colonel with NORAD.
Plus, we want to tell you about a surgical nightmare for a mother in Illinois. This is a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have a mastectomy. Well, guess what? It turns out she didn't have breast cancer. It turns out the mastectomy was a big mistake. The hospital now blames a lab mix-up. She's going to talk to us about the painful surgery, what's ahead for her and her family as well.
That's this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, we'll be there. Thank you, Soledad.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, waiting for orders to strike. Just ahead, our Kyra Phillips spoke with one of the fighters who escorted the lost plane to safety.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking the international markets this morning. The Nikkei down almost 43 points, the British FTSE is up 33 points almost, and the German DAX is down over 35 points this morning.
We've been talking today about that nightmare scenario, having to give an order to shoot down a plane that enters restricted airspace. In yesterday's incident involving a small plane, that decision, thankfully, did not have to be made. But what's it like when that scenario becomes a possibility?
Here is CNN's Kyra Phillips.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aircraft diverted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aircraft contact failed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secret Service has been informed.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They call it the air war against terrorists. And this is the battlefield.
The potential enemy? A civilian aircraft under terrorist control.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are getting serious.
PHILLIPS: The strategy? To end every incident without firing a shot. But 9/11 spawned a new kind of war with chilling new rules of engagement. In this war, the military is forced to think the unthinkable.
LT. COL. T.G. KYRAZIS, U.S. AIR FORCE: I don't think the public would have stood for anything -- us firing on commercial airliners in the past. But it's been proven that, yes, something worse might happen. So, we're just kind of an extension of the public will.
PHILLIPS: The Lieutenant Colonel T.G. Kyrazis and Major John Black of the 125th Fighter Wing are getting ready for a routine patrol in southeast U.S. airspace. These Florida Air National Guard F-15 fighter pilots are battle ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Check the back end of the gun. Make sure it is all hot and the bullets are loaded in the chambers. Check our heat seeker. Make sure that all looks good.
PHILLIPS: We're going along on a mission that shows what might happen if a commercial airliner is hijacked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Raptor One copies. (INAUDIBLE).
PHILLIPS: It doesn't take long before this mission is diverted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All attempts at contact with this aircraft have failed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: FAA, can you give me a mode 3 on that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 5012, Jimmy.
PHILLIPS: Something is not right with a passenger plane over the Atlantic Ocean.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Break, break, this is (INAUDIBLE) battle commander. We have a NORDO airliner.
PHILLIPS: NORDO, no radio contact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your NORDO aircraft is Falcon Airlines 401, Miami to Wilmington, metro liner.
PHILLIPS: Military intelligence and the FAA want to know everything about this airliner.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the range of how far they think it would fly on 3,400 pounds of gas.
PHILLIPS: Could this aircraft reach critical infrastructure?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has deviated from the flight path.
PHILLIPS: These commanders take no chances.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This time we have committed Rattler 01, flight 2 out of the Jaguar Cap (ph). UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mission, intercept, shadow, commit bull's eye 100158, 21,500 track west.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we're attached now.
PHILLIPS: Fighters now monitor Falcon Flight's 401 every move. Then...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The aircraft is now at squawk at 7500 squawk.
PHILLIPS: ... 7500 is the code for hijack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obtain permission for fighter to be intercept?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See if they can give us any indication of who is in control of the aircraft.
PHILLIPS: Pilots attempt hand signals. No response. Pilots rock their winning. Still no response.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It should acknowledge with the ring arch, which he's not doing.
PHILLIPS: Two generals are brought in and briefed, one from the Canadian Air Force, one from the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Souls on board?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fourteen passengers, two crew, one Pakistani, one Saudi, one French, the others are presumed to be of United States descent. Fighters are on it now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My concern is, we could have something else in this country. So, we're going to keep our focus on this thing, but we're also going to keep focus on the rest of the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The J-PAC has authorized the use of flares to get the pilots' attention.
PHILLIPS: Now is the final attempt to get this pilot to respond. If he doesn't, the order could come to shoot this aircraft down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we have an engagement authority?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, we have engagement authority on line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Raptor One copies. Flares are authorized.
PHILLIPS: Flares are released. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now the guy realizes this is serious. Now he's coming left, following me.
PHILLIPS: The pilot finally responds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think we should ever relax. And we are going to have to continue to prosecute this enemy until they no longer present a threat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Active air scramble. Active air scramble.
PHILLIPS: A new kind of war, a new way of fighting. A battle in which a commander's best choice may be the lesser of two evils. And the battle cry is, "Never again."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, Carol, I talked with the F-16 pilot last night, who flew the intercept on the Cessna headed toward the White House. I asked him if he received the order to shoot down that aircraft. He said, "No." I also asked him how he got the pilot to turn away from the White House and land that Cessna safely. He said he gave all of the military visual signals, including dropping the flares, like you saw in that piece.
But what got the pilot of that Cessna to land was the radio communication. The F-16 pilot from the 121st Fighter Squadron finally made contact with the Cessna pilot on the guard frequency; in other words, the emergency frequency, 121 decimal 5. He said the pilot sounded nervous, but he listened and he landed that small plane safely, the best-case scenario.
COSTELLO: I bet he sounded nervous. You know, Kyra, we had an e-mail question this morning. We were wondering if people thought that they should have shot that plane down. I mean, it came within three miles of the White House. It was traveling at, what, about 100 miles per hour? That's -- it will be at the White House in one minute. So, they said, don't take chances. Shoot it down.
What did the pilots in the F-16s think about this? Because I know what you're going to say, but emotionally they have to be thinking about it that way as well.
PHILLIPS: Well, of course. I mean, they know that at any time that that call could be made from the president of the United States, from NORAD. But in this case, it didn't have to happen. And reason being, that F-16 pilot, when he locked on to that Cessna and he did everything he was supposed to do and finally made contact, I mean, this happens in a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds. He realized, and NORAD realized, that this guy was not a threat. He was not a terrorist. It was not a terrorist threat. So, in now way, shape or form would they ever consider shooting it down.
COSTELLO: So, did the pilots communicate with those on those on the ground, telling them that information? PHILLIPS: Absolutely. What happens is the F-16 pilot, as soon as he sees the target and develops this relationship with the pilot, if he can, and he gets all of the information, NORAD is also working the tail number and information on that pilot. I mean, they knew where this plane came from. They knew the background on this plane. They realized it was a student and an instructor. I mean, they knew all of that. And everyone is communicating, so they know that it's not a threat and they know they just have to communicate with the pilot and steer him...
COSTELLO: OK.
PHILLIPS: ... or her, you know, to landing. You were saying?
COSTELLO: I have one more question.
PHILLIPS: OK.
COSTELLO: I know what you're saying. I have one more question. The restricted airspace is 15 miles, a 15-mile circumference. This plane got within three. Why didn't they intercept the plane sooner and stop it sooner?
PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, they were up and ready. As soon as that plane entered the restricted airspace, all of the signals go up, the radars go up. And they're there. I mean, they were there within seconds.
Now, it's interesting. If you look at a map -- and I've done that when I have flown in small planes. If you're not familiar with what the maps look like -- and it can be very confusing, and evidently that's what happened in this situation. You're looking at a map, and you didn't file a flight plan, you don't necessarily see that you're in restricted airspace. If you're not an expert and you're not looking for that, sometimes it can be difficulty. Allegedly, this is what happened with this pilot and the instructor. They just weren't paying attention to details. And it's confusing if you see that map.
COSTELLO: Kyra Phillips, thanks for enlightening us this morning. We appreciate it.
PHILLIPS: You bet. Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's check in with Bill Hemmer now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Same topic.
COSTELLO: What a surprise.
HEMMER: More questions. I don't know if you were watching this yesterday around noon when it was going down, but I want to know if this is the way it's supposed to go. You know, these members of Congress are coming out, Carol, and they're saying that this is exactly the drill that we have in place here. I don't know. We're going to be talking about that this morning, Carol.
Also, we're learning more about the two pilots who caused all of this commotion. Where were they headed? Did they know they were in this restricted airspace? There was a student pilot on board. His wife is quoted as saying the night before, they were talking about this flight, that they were going down to Raleigh, North Carolina, and that he knew about this restricted airspace, and they were going to fly in this corridor between the two of them. How they got off this point, I don't know. But...
COSTELLO: They got lost.
HEMMER: They did get -- quite possible. And also, based on this flight plan, they were probably flying by sight. It was a pretty good day yesterday afternoon, and you can pick out the landmarks as you go down. Was it that simple?
You know, there is a five-minute period, apparently, when there was a Black Hawk helicopter next to that Cessna. And in that five- minute period, the Black Hawk flew, apparently, right alongside that plane, and it still got within 10 miles of the White House, even after that point. How does that happen?
We're going to go live to this hometown where these guys came out of, too, there in Pennsylvania.
Another story, Carol, talking about this yesterday about this court ruling allowing United Airlines to dump its pension plans. Could it clear the way now for other companies to do the same? And what might that mean for your own pension plan? We'll look at that again today on "AMERICAN MORNING."
See you in 13 minutes. Tons to talk about, don't you think?
COSTELLO: Oh, yes, interesting stuff to talk about.
HEMMER: See you later.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: Sure.
COSTELLO: We'll be there.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, same city but very different security. A closer look at the rules protecting Dulles Airport versus Reagan National when DAYBREAK returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The small plane that accidentally flew so close to the White House and caused a scramble in the air and on the ground at airports in the D.C. area. Our travel expert, Ben Mutzabaugh, joins us now from Washington for more on this scare from a pilot's perspective.
I'm really interested in what you're going to say, Ben.
BEN MUTZABAUGH, "USA TODAY" TRAVEL REPORTER: Yes, it's interesting how they could get that far into Washington on a clear day, given all of the hoopla that's surrounded security since 9/11. It is a little mind boggling to me how they could get in that close.
COSTELLO: It is, because there are certain measures that commercial pilots have to take before they enter the airspace around Washington, isn't there?
MUTZABAUGH: That's right. You know, Reagan National Airport is about four miles from downtown Washington. So that would be the equivalent of, if you were in New York, that would be like landing your airplane at the south end of Central Park, right near the Business District. So, it's a very big security concern for the people here in Washington.
So what did they do? There is a very precise flight path that these pilots have to fly when they're landing at Reagan National. And not only that, they have to transmit, I believe it's a four-digit code to air traffic controllers before they're cleared for their final approach. And if that code doesn't match, they have to do audio confirmation with air traffic control to make sure that the pilot who is in control of the plane is the right person. And if anything is amiss, they'll divert the plane to Baltimore, or they'll divert it to Dulles. They'll make sure it won't land at national airport without those restrictions.
COSTELLO: Interesting. The other restriction that is still in place -- and I've been on planes flying into Washington -- when you fly in, you have to be in your seat for 30 minutes before the plane lands. If you're not in your seat, the plane will turn around and go someplace else. I mean, is that really effective?
MUTZABAUGH: Well, you know, I've heard both sides of that argument. There's a lot of grumbling on flights. They say, is this really necessary? It may or may not be. But you figure if there is someone on the plane who is up to something no good, it does give -- and if they stand up during the last 30 minutes and don't sit down, it does give the air marshals who are on board all flights to national airport, it does give them a target, for the lack of a better word.
And heaven forbid, should something happen on one of those flights, I would hate to be the person who decided that that measure wasn't necessary. So, there are two sides to that issue.
COSTELLO: Yes, but what do the pilots say? Do they think that these measures ensure safety?
MUTZABAUGH: I think -- that's a great question. And, again, I think it depends on which ones you talk to. I have heard some that they'll all for the security measures, and there are others who say, if it gets to that point, if that's the only difference making this plane safe or not, then there are other problems.
COSTELLO: OK. Well, new technology is about to be introduced that supposedly will make us all safer. And we're talking about these lasers. Tell us about them.
MUTZABAUGH: Right. That's something that's going to be deployed here in Washington later this month. They say mid-month, so it could be any day now. Of course, they're vague in the details. I wonder if this would have helped the pilots who flew into here yesterday.
What they'll do if they'll shoot a series of red-green lasers. They alternate colors. They shoot them toward the cockpit of any plane that violates the restricted airspace in Washington. And now, this is different than those other lasers that you heard about over the past few months that can damage the pilots' eyes. These are supposedly eye-friendly. And they are a warning to let pilots know, hey, you're somewhere you shouldn't be. Turn left. Turn right. Get out of here. And that's going to be deployed mid-month, they say.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll be awaiting its deployment. Ben Mutzabaugh, thank you for joining us live this morning. We appreciate it.
MUTZABAUGH: No problem.
COSTELLO: It's 6:52 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to vote today on President Bush's candidate for United Nations ambassador. Democrats are continuing to argue their case that John Bolton is not fit for the diplomatic post.
California jurors are to start deliberating today the fate of a man convicted of killing 5-year-old Samantha Runyon. The jury will decide if Alejandro Avilla will be put to death for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of the little girl.
And the embattled majority leader, Tom DeLay, is getting treated to a heck a love fest tonight. Conservative supporters are throwing a $250 a plate dinner to show their support of DeLay as he faces a round of ethics questions. About 900 people are expected to attend.
This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: "Now in the News."
A suicide car bomber has killed 12 people and wounded 56 others in Iraq. Police say the blast went off at a busy intersection where a mosque, post office and movie theater are located.
North Korea says it has completed a step that could enable the country to create weapons-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons. The government announced the removal of 8,000 fuel rods from a reactor at its main nuclear complex.
The White House and Capitol are calm this morning following the red alert scare that sent just about everyone there scrambling. Today, authorities will assess the effectiveness of their response to the incident of that plane intruding into restricted airspace.
John Bolton's controversial nomination to be ambassador to the United Nations goes to a vote today. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says he expects the panel to send Bolton's nomination to the full Senate.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's time to give away a coffee mug. Hey, how about that?
COSTELLO: Hey.
MARCIANO: We missed out on this yesterday. I guess we ran out of time. So, I want to give you the answers for Tuesday's coffee quiz. And we switched them around, because it was a "Jeopardy!" kind of thing. So, the answer was smoking, and the question you had to submit was, the government of Georgia banned what in public places? That would be smoking. And the second answer was Kenny Chesney. The question to that was, who married Renee Zellweger?
The winner to the right questions, it's Kelly Casper of Canton, Georgia. Congratulations to Kelly.
All right, here is your chance now to win a coffee mug. It's time for today's questions. John Bolton is up for a confirmation for what position?
COSTELLO: Oh, easy.
MARCIANO: Yes, a piece of cake. And who did supermodel Heidi Klum recently marry? Oh, to be a rock star.
CNN.com/daybreak.
COSTELLO: All right. Thanks for joining us this morning. I'm Carol Costello along with Rob Marciano today. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.
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