Small Plane Intercepted from Restricted Flight Area as Biden Addresses UN General Assembly

A small aircraft, owned by a leading US military academy, entered the temporary flight restriction area in New York City and was intercepted by a fighter jet, on the day when President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Cessna 182 entered the temporary flight restriction (TFR) at approximately 2 pm on Tuesday. The small aircraft was intercepted by an F-16 fighter jet and escorted out of the TFR “without incident,” the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was quoted as saying by CNN.

The aircraft, owned by the US Military Academy at West Point, was flown by an Army instructor pilot, West Point said in a statement. The instructor pilot was conducting a cadet flight lab in support of an engineering class when the aircraft “briefly” violated the TFR near the George Washington Bridge, the statement said. The TFR for VIP movement in New York airspace was in effect from Monday at 4:45 pm until Tuesday at 3:45 pm. The TFR includes the Hudson River and the East River.