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F-16 Fighting Falcon News

Ohio F-16s intercept 75yr old woman flying a kit airplane

August 5, 2011 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a 75-year-old pilot today after she entered airspace restricted for President Barack Obama's fundraising trip to Chicago.

USAF F-16C block 42s #89-2106 & #89-2128 from the 112th FS fly over Southern Ohio on October 29th, 2009. [USAF photo by A1C Amber Williams]

The pilot, Myrtle Rose, flew her Kitfox Model 2 into the temporarily restricted airspace at 17.34h local time. When air traffic controllers couldn't contact the pilot on Wednesday afternoon.

The jets scrambled from Toledo, Ohio, intercepted the plane and forced it to return to its home airport of Mill Rose Farm in South Barrington, Illinois, located approximately 55km north-west of Chicago, NORAD spokesman Lieutenant Michael Humphreys said.

Rose turned the kit airplane around and returned to Mill Rose Farm Airport, NORAD spokesman Lt. Michael Humphreys said.

"She was unaware that she had entered restricted air space," said South Barrington Deputy Police Chief Ray Cordell, who added the woman did not seem shaken. "Surprised was probably the right term".

The president was in Chicago for a fundraiser celebrating his 50th birthday.


Additional images:

Ohio ANG SSgt. Kathie Sonnenberg climbs the cockpit ladder as SSgt. Brian Schart, both with the 180th FW, opens an access panel as they work on USAF F-16C block 42 #90-0701 from the 112th FS as part of the aircraft generation portion of Phase I of an 180th FW Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) being conducted at the Toledo ANGB on July 17th, 2004. [USAF photo by MSgt. Sue Szklarz]

G3 Image not found

USAF F-16C block 42 #90-0700 from the 112th FS is parked with opened canopy on the tarmac at Toledo IAP on July 1st, 1995. [AviaMagazine photo by Frits Jongerman]