4 ms·

US Capitol evacuated due to possible aircraft threat

33 points by bison3 4y ago

hirundo 4y ago
Update: false alarm.
- bison3 4y ago
  https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1516911625709801472 https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1516911625709801472
incomingpain 4y ago
>UPDATE Police say ‘no threat’ at US Capitol after evacuation. Evacuation at the U.S. Capitol caused by U.S. Army team skydiving into stadium for the Washington Nationals. Major evacuation because of adsb emitting plane? No I doubt this.
- bison3 4y ago
  https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-nationals-cb01d8233837b28cc82c60d0d63a0b6e?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-na...
  - krallja 4y ago
    Army didn’t think to inform ATC of what they were up to?
    - notreallyserio 4y ago
      According to the article they did.
      - nomel 4y ago
        So, the US Capitol didn't think to ask the ATC why there was a plane there, considering that's the purpose of the ATC? That seems even less likely. My naive assumption is that one of the main purposes of these organizations, that we spend an incredible amount of money on, is to create, ready, and follow clear processes. What the heck are they doing with all that money/time? Does all this get reset with every election, or something?
        atkailash 4y ago
    - incomingpain 4y ago
      >Army didn’t think to inform ATC of what they were up to? Not only was ATC informed... you could go on public websites like adsb exchange and see exactly who the plane is.
      - krallja 4y ago
        Yep. Now I see that the House Speaker is criticizing the FAA for not informing the Capitol Police.
- ledauphin 4y ago
  one way or another this is pretty weird. I don't suppose we'll get a full explanation, but it would certainly be interesting.
  - incomingpain 4y ago
    >one way or another this is pretty weird. I don't suppose we'll get a full explanation, but it would certainly be interesting. Lets say this parachute team is the true story. How jumpy are they to be calling for evacuation over something you can go on a website and check on? That in of itself is a story.
- not2b 4y ago
  The 9/11 hijacked planes were also emitting tracking signals. A military plane entering the Capitol exclusion zone unexpectedly might trigger an alert if they can't immediately figure out why it is there, in case it's being piloted by someone who has gone rogue.
  - Alupis 4y ago
    According to the AP, at no time did this aircraft enter prohibited airspace[1]. Radar tracking data shows the plane, a De Havilland Twin Otter, remained clear of the prohibited airspace over the Capitol Building and other government complexes at all times. [1] https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-nationals-cb01d8233837b28cc82c60d0d63a0b6e https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-na...
    - incomingpain 4y ago
      That can't be true. https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1155.html https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1155.html The prohibted space is surface to 18,000 feet and stretched well beyond washington dc. I saw the circling, the plane absolutely would have entered prohibited airspace if not been inside of it the entire time. Mind you... you just need to get approval from ATC and you can fly into that space. They without a doubt had that permission.
      - Alupis 4y ago
        I think you're misunderstanding the NOTAM. It's a Flight Restricted area that's 30NM around DC, but it's not prohibited. Prohibited is only right around the actual capitol, and can be seen clearly marked as "Prohibited" on the charts[1]. Inside the Restricted area, VFR aircraft flying up to FL180 are restricted to 180Kts indicated airspeed, and from 30-60NM restricted to 230Kts indicated. You are also required to be in contact with ATC before entering this airspace. So... no, the aircraft violated no rules/regulations at any time. Seems to be an overly jumpy US Capitol detail that didn't think to contact the relevant authorities before evacuating everyone... which is strange to say the least. [1] https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/03-24-2022/PDFs/Washington.pdf https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/03-24-2022/PDFs/Washington.pd...
pdimitar 4y ago
This is some Hollywood movie plot. :D
- golergka 4y ago
  >UPDATE Police say ‘no threat’ at US Capitol after evacuation. Evacuation at the U.S. Capitol caused by U.S. Army team skydiving into stadium for the Washington Nationals. You mean like a comedy?
  - pdimitar 4y ago
    Tragi-comedy even!
- rasz 4y ago
  straight from The Tomorrow War (dont watch, terrible movie) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-V1hoIQwE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-V1hoIQwE
United857 4y ago
TLDR: one part of the US government didn't bother to inform another part of the US government what was going on.
- daenz 4y ago
  Reminds me of the Hawaii nuclear launch alert in 2018[0] 0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_alert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_aler...
- nomel 4y ago
  They informed the ATC. One would assume that's the ideal mediary for this sort of thing. Jumpers to ATC: "Hey, we're going here to jump here." Capitol to ATC: "Hey, who's that and where are they going?"
salawat 4y ago
Ah yes. The joys of Total Information Awareness. You require prople of a calibre capable of processing said situation and knowing exactly who to call, when, and what to ask. Apparently, DC didn't have that.

33 points by bison3 4y ago

hirundo 4y ago

Update: false alarm.

bison3 4y ago
https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1516911625709801472 https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1516911625709801472

incomingpain 4y ago

>UPDATE Police say ‘no threat’ at US Capitol after evacuation. Evacuation at the U.S. Capitol caused by U.S. Army team skydiving into stadium for the Washington Nationals. Major evacuation because of adsb emitting plane? No I doubt this.

bison3 4y ago
https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-nationals-cb01d8233837b28cc82c60d0d63a0b6e?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-na...
- krallja 4y ago
  Army didn’t think to inform ATC of what they were up to?
  - notreallyserio 4y ago
    According to the article they did.
    - nomel 4y ago
      So, the US Capitol didn't think to ask the ATC why there was a plane there, considering that's the purpose of the ATC? That seems even less likely. My naive assumption is that one of the main purposes of these organizations, that we spend an incredible amount of money on, is to create, ready, and follow clear processes. What the heck are they doing with all that money/time? Does all this get reset with every election, or something?
      - atkailash 4y ago
  - incomingpain 4y ago
    >Army didn’t think to inform ATC of what they were up to? Not only was ATC informed... you could go on public websites like adsb exchange and see exactly who the plane is.
    - krallja 4y ago
      Yep. Now I see that the House Speaker is criticizing the FAA for not informing the Capitol Police.
ledauphin 4y ago
one way or another this is pretty weird. I don't suppose we'll get a full explanation, but it would certainly be interesting.
- incomingpain 4y ago
  >one way or another this is pretty weird. I don't suppose we'll get a full explanation, but it would certainly be interesting. Lets say this parachute team is the true story. How jumpy are they to be calling for evacuation over something you can go on a website and check on? That in of itself is a story.
not2b 4y ago
The 9/11 hijacked planes were also emitting tracking signals. A military plane entering the Capitol exclusion zone unexpectedly might trigger an alert if they can't immediately figure out why it is there, in case it's being piloted by someone who has gone rogue.
- Alupis 4y ago
  According to the AP, at no time did this aircraft enter prohibited airspace[1]. Radar tracking data shows the plane, a De Havilland Twin Otter, remained clear of the prohibited airspace over the Capitol Building and other government complexes at all times. [1] https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-nationals-cb01d8233837b28cc82c60d0d63a0b6e https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-na...
  - incomingpain 4y ago
    That can't be true. https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1155.html https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1155.html The prohibted space is surface to 18,000 feet and stretched well beyond washington dc. I saw the circling, the plane absolutely would have entered prohibited airspace if not been inside of it the entire time. Mind you... you just need to get approval from ATC and you can fly into that space. They without a doubt had that permission.
    - Alupis 4y ago
      I think you're misunderstanding the NOTAM. It's a Flight Restricted area that's 30NM around DC, but it's not prohibited. Prohibited is only right around the actual capitol, and can be seen clearly marked as "Prohibited" on the charts[1]. Inside the Restricted area, VFR aircraft flying up to FL180 are restricted to 180Kts indicated airspeed, and from 30-60NM restricted to 230Kts indicated. You are also required to be in contact with ATC before entering this airspace. So... no, the aircraft violated no rules/regulations at any time. Seems to be an overly jumpy US Capitol detail that didn't think to contact the relevant authorities before evacuating everyone... which is strange to say the least. [1] https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/03-24-2022/PDFs/Washington.pdf https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/03-24-2022/PDFs/Washington.pd...

pdimitar 4y ago

This is some Hollywood movie plot. :D

golergka 4y ago
>UPDATE Police say ‘no threat’ at US Capitol after evacuation. Evacuation at the U.S. Capitol caused by U.S. Army team skydiving into stadium for the Washington Nationals. You mean like a comedy?
- pdimitar 4y ago
  Tragi-comedy even!
rasz 4y ago
straight from The Tomorrow War (dont watch, terrible movie) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-V1hoIQwE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-V1hoIQwE

United857 4y ago

TLDR: one part of the US government didn't bother to inform another part of the US government what was going on.

daenz 4y ago
Reminds me of the Hawaii nuclear launch alert in 2018[0] 0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_alert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Hawaii_false_missile_aler...
nomel 4y ago
They informed the ATC. One would assume that's the ideal mediary for this sort of thing. Jumpers to ATC: "Hey, we're going here to jump here." Capitol to ATC: "Hey, who's that and where are they going?"

salawat 4y ago

Ah yes. The joys of Total Information Awareness. You require prople of a calibre capable of processing said situation and knowing exactly who to call, when, and what to ask. Apparently, DC didn't have that.