Wisconsin Pilots Track Stolen Plane After State Capitol Evacuated
Authorities Monitor Stolen Canadian Plane
Updated: 10:16 pm CDT April 6,2009
MADISON, Wis. -- The state Capitol building was evacuated on Monday afternoon after a plane that was apparently stolen from Canada had flown into Wisconsin airspace. Officials later called off the evacuation of the Capitol, but Wisconsin Air National Guard pilots were tracking the aircraft.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportTwo F-16 fighters were dispatched over the state afternoon to track the single-engine plane that was believed stolen by a student pilot.Mike Kucharek, of the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado, said that by early evening, the Cessna 172 had kept going south and was approaching the St. Louis area, with the pilot continuing to refuse to communicate with authorities.The plane reportedly landed in southeastern Missouri after being trailed by the two jet fighters. Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the plane finally landed Monday night on a road in far southeastern Missouri and the pilot ran. Local law enforcement were converging on the area.The aircraft had stayed at a "fairly constant altitude his entire flight," at around 14,500 feet, she said. There was no way of knowing the male pilot's intent because he hadn't communicated with anyone.Authorities know his identity, she said, but she declined to release his age or name.Kucharek said the plane was stolen from Thunder Bay, Ontario, at about 2:30 p.m. and the pilot had been flying erratically and hadn't communicated with the fighter pilots, who intercepted the plane at the Michigan-Wisconsin border.The jets came from the Wisconsin Air National Guard.Wisconsin Air National Guard spokeswoman Jackie Guthrie said that the two F-16s came from the 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard in Madison. The pilots were told to be prepared to intercept the plane. Guthrie said that the Air National Guard was put on alert at 3:30 p.m. about the potential need for assistance with this plane and the F-16s took off at 5 p.m. to try to make contact with plane.Guthrie said that the aircraft is no longer considered a threat to the Capitol or the Madison area.Kucharek said the plane wasn't believed to be a terrorist threat.The plane took off from Thunder Bay International Airport at 2:55 p.m., according to officials at Confederation College flight school. College officials then contacted Thunder Bay police.The plane was subsequently tracked by radar as it crossed into U.S. airspace and is now being handled by the U.S. Air Force.Confederation College officials said that that they're working with Thunder Bay police to recover the plane and find out who the individual is.In Madison, the state Capitol building was evacuated shortly after 5 p.m. as a precaution because of the airplane. Many workers had already left for the day. Governor Jim Doyle wasn't in the building. He had been in Chicago today.Capitol police ordered everyone out of the building and told them to go at least a block away from the building. Police cars with sirens drove on the sidewalks by the doors of the Capitol. Others drove on the streets of the Capitol Square, telling people to move away.After the evacuation was called off, people were allowed to return to the Capitol.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportTwo F-16 fighters were dispatched over the state afternoon to track the single-engine plane that was believed stolen by a student pilot.Mike Kucharek, of the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado, said that by early evening, the Cessna 172 had kept going south and was approaching the St. Louis area, with the pilot continuing to refuse to communicate with authorities.The plane reportedly landed in southeastern Missouri after being trailed by the two jet fighters. Laura Brown, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the plane finally landed Monday night on a road in far southeastern Missouri and the pilot ran. Local law enforcement were converging on the area.The aircraft had stayed at a "fairly constant altitude his entire flight," at around 14,500 feet, she said. There was no way of knowing the male pilot's intent because he hadn't communicated with anyone.Authorities know his identity, she said, but she declined to release his age or name.Kucharek said the plane was stolen from Thunder Bay, Ontario, at about 2:30 p.m. and the pilot had been flying erratically and hadn't communicated with the fighter pilots, who intercepted the plane at the Michigan-Wisconsin border.The jets came from the Wisconsin Air National Guard.Wisconsin Air National Guard spokeswoman Jackie Guthrie said that the two F-16s came from the 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard in Madison. The pilots were told to be prepared to intercept the plane. Guthrie said that the Air National Guard was put on alert at 3:30 p.m. about the potential need for assistance with this plane and the F-16s took off at 5 p.m. to try to make contact with plane.Guthrie said that the aircraft is no longer considered a threat to the Capitol or the Madison area.Kucharek said the plane wasn't believed to be a terrorist threat.The plane took off from Thunder Bay International Airport at 2:55 p.m., according to officials at Confederation College flight school. College officials then contacted Thunder Bay police.The plane was subsequently tracked by radar as it crossed into U.S. airspace and is now being handled by the U.S. Air Force.Confederation College officials said that that they're working with Thunder Bay police to recover the plane and find out who the individual is.In Madison, the state Capitol building was evacuated shortly after 5 p.m. as a precaution because of the airplane. Many workers had already left for the day. Governor Jim Doyle wasn't in the building. He had been in Chicago today.Capitol police ordered everyone out of the building and told them to go at least a block away from the building. Police cars with sirens drove on the sidewalks by the doors of the Capitol. Others drove on the streets of the Capitol Square, telling people to move away.After the evacuation was called off, people were allowed to return to the Capitol.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.Copyright 2009 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
