Posted on: Friday, October 12, 2001

The September 11th attack
Air National Guard F-15s escort private plane to airport

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

Hawai'i Air National Guard F-15 fighter planes yesterday escorted a private plane flying above Honolulu with faulty plane identification equipment.

Residents all over Honolulu heard the Cessna 402 aircraft as it flew low over the city yesterday at about 11:30 a.m.

Honolulu airport officials had picked up the Cessna as an unidentified signal 20 minutes earlier south of Moloka'i. The plane was not in contact with air traffic controllers and not on an assigned beacon code that identifies each aircraft.

Maj. Charles Anthony, Hawai'i National Guard spokesman, said F-15 fighters were sent up to identify and escort the aircraft.

The pilot of the Cessna said he had difficulty with the plane's transponder, which helps air traffic controllers identify each aircraft on the radar. The plane made an uneventful landing at Honolulu International Airport.

Under new FAA regulations, general aviation pilots flying by instruments must provide a flight plan to authorities before taking off. Pilots flying by visual flight rules, however, have been severely restricted until further notice.

FAA spokeswoman Tweet Coleman said National Guard troops will be assigned to the Neighbor Island airports beginning today to bolster security on the ground.

"The Guard is being trained in Hilo over airport security procedures for their Neighbor Island duties," Coleman said yesterday.

FAA safety officials will train Guard troops in Guam and Saipan next week for their airports. Members of the Guard will be stationed at U.S. airports for the next four to six months until federal security measures are in place.