[JYO] from AOPA... Cessna 150 strays into prohibited airspace over Washington, D.C.

Pilots who flew their Cessna 150 into prohibited airspace over Washington,  
D.C., Wednesday, causing evacuations of the White House, Capitol, and Supreme  
Court, apparently failed to properly plan their flight. 
Hayden Sheaffer and Troy Martin, a student pilot, were flying from their home 
 base at Pennsylvania's Smoketown Airport (S37), to a fly-in in Lumberton, 
North  Carolina â a path that took them into the Washington Metropolitan Air 
Defense  Identification Zone (ADIZ) and within three miles of the Capitol. 
"We're relieved that the system for detecting and diverting errant aircraft  
worked, but this is a hard lesson that all pilots should learn from. Every 
pilot  is responsible for proper flight planning, and in today's security 
environment,  you just can't afford to make mistakes," said AOPA President Phil 
Boyer. 
The pilots had apparently discussed their plans for the flight at a recent  
meeting of the flying club of which they are members. The men, who each own  
one-tenth of the aircraft, had followed club procedures for scheduling the  
airplane for the trip. Contrary to media reports, neither man is a flight  
instructor. 
"We can't believe it," said David Nye, president of the flying club. He added 
 that he didn't understand how the pilots could have been unaware of the 
airspace  restrictions, saying that AOPA has done everything possible to 
educate 
pilots  about the ADIZ and proper procedures for operating in the Washington 
area. 
The airplane reportedly flew into restricted airspace, turned and left the  
airspace, then returned. Two F-16s dropped four warning flares in the path of  
the airplane in an effort to divert it. The airplane was then escorted to  
Frederick Municipal Airport, site of AOPA headquarters, by Marshals Service and 
 
Air Force aircraft where it landed shortly before 1 p.m. Once on the ground, 
the  pilot reportedly told officials his radio was not working. 
Merv King, also a member of the flying club, said he was certain that the  
airspace incursion was unintentional. 
"I know these people. Not one of them would do anything to harm anyone," King 
 said. 
The men exited the aircraft at gunpoint before being handcuffed and detained  
for questioning by the Secret Service. No criminal charges were filed against 
 the men. Both men reportedly cooperated with authorities and were released 
the  same day. 
The aircraft was detained on the runway at Frederick while a bomb-sniffing  
dog was called to the scene. Lt. Ken Hasenei of the Maryland State Police, who  
described the use of a bomb dog as a "routine precaution," said the aircraft 
had  been searched and there was no reason to believe it contained explosives. 
The  aircraft was later towed to a hangar at Frederick.

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