[JYO] single-engine plane flew erratically around Philadelphia airspace
- From: FlyboyEd@xxxxxxx
- To: jyo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:30:07 EST
(CNN) -- A pilot was being held by police after his single-engine plane flew
erratically around Philadelphia airspace Thursday evening for over three
hours before being escorted down by a police helicopter, an airport official
said.
The pilot of the Piper Cherokee aircraft "came down on his own volition" at
Pottsdown Limerick Airport, where his aircraft is based, about 35 miles
northwest of Philadelphia, according to the airport's manager, Mike D'Aries.
The pilot, from Limerick Township, is being held by Limerick police, D'Aries
said.
The pilot, who was not identified, owned the aircraft, which was licensed to
a business he owned, according to D'Aries.
At one point, the pilot flew into the airspace of Philadelphia International
Airport without clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration, according
to FAA spokesman Jim Peters.
"Normally if you are piloting out, all you do is you call us and say 'I'd
like to proceed in this airspace,'" Peters said. "He didn't do that."
Controllers at Philadelphia International Airport made radio contact with the
pilot and offered to clear him to land, but "instead of landing, he flew
elsewhere," Peters said.
He took off around 6:45 p.m. before he was escorted down by he Philadelphia
police aviation unit at 10:17 p.m., Peters said.
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