Jets intercept plane over Washington; no threat posed

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A small plane violated the temporary flight restriction area over Washington on Wednesday, military and civil aviation officials said, but the aircraft was not believed to have been a threat to the capital.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the twin-engine Beech violated restricted airspace over Washington shortly after 6 p.m.

"Two F-16's scrambled and intercepted the aircraft within the restricted airspace. The fighter pilots identified the aircraft and escorted it outside of the restricted airspace," said Lt. Col. John Cornelio, a NORAD spokesman.

The fighters returned to base, and the Federal Aviation Administration took control of monitoring the flight, Cornelio said.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the plane entered Washington's airspace from the north at 14,500 feet, below the 18,000-foot limit on air traffic.

A federal law enforcement official said the plane was in airspace near the U.S. Capitol but could not say how close it was.

The official said the plane was being diverted to Richmond, Virginia, and would be met by law enforcement when it lands.

The plane was not deemed to be a threat, and authorities determined that an evacuation of the Capitol was unnecessary, the official said. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Jim Barnett, Ted Barrett, Kevin Bohn and Kathleen Koch contributed to this report.

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