NORAD Fighter Uses 'Headbutt' Maneuver on Plane Near Trump's Mar-a-Lago
An F-16 flew close in front of a civilian aircraft that strayed into restricted airspace while the president was in West Palm Beach to cast his early ballot.
A U.S. fighter jet used a maneuver known as a "headbutt" to intercept a civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace near President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, military officials said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said an F-16 flew closely in front of the plane at about 12:20 p.m. Eastern time to get the pilot's attention. NORAD says the tactic is standard. The maneuver let the fighter communicate with the pilot, who then steered the aircraft out of the restricted area as instructed.
The plane had violated a Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR. The Federal Aviation Administration issues such restrictions for reasons including sporting events, extreme weather and political rallies, and it routinely does so around the president's location. Pilots are told about them through Notices to Airmen, known as NOTAMs. NORAD said the pilot could face questioning by federal authorities after landing and possible enforcement action.
Trump was in West Palm Beach that day to vote in Florida's midterm election. He and first lady Melania Trump were seen at a polling station, where he cast an early ballot. Asked whether he had voted along party lines, he answered, "Very much so." He then traveled to Georgia for a campaign rally.
It was not the first such incident this month. Earlier in October, NORAD F-16s intercepted a plane over Clemson, South Carolina, while Trump held a rally there. Days before that, a similar interception took place over Cincinnati, Ohio, near another Trump rally.
Airspace violations near the president are common enough that NORAD publicizes them as a reminder to pilots. Restricted zones typically cover a wide radius around wherever the president is staying or visiting, and they can appear on short notice when his schedule changes. Pilots are expected to check for active restrictions before every flight.
The headbutt is one of several steps in a standard interception. Fighters first try to reach a pilot by radio and by flying visibly nearby. A close pass in front of the cockpit is intended to be impossible to miss without escalating to more forceful measures.
NORAD did not identify the pilot or the type of aircraft in the information relayed by CBS News, and it did not say whether any charges were expected. The incident ended without injury and without any change to the president's schedule.
With the president campaigning heavily in the final days before the midterm elections, officials have had repeated occasions to scramble jets, and the string of intercepts is likely to continue as he travels.
