In our day of we should prosecute against so and so and so and so. It is interesting to me that a pilot "error" caused us to evacuate, but no charges will be pressed. I don't think that is right! I know he didn't mean harm, but he coudl of answered his radio, we just spent how many thousands of dollars scrambling planes and helicopters to remove him. I hope there are some severe penalties. If a man did that in a car, speeding, didn't realize it and then the police had to pull him over (nevermind evading..by not answering calls) they woudl be arrested and charged. So what do you think?

By Emily7 on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 11:00 am:

I agree with you Kaye.
I can not see how he didn't realize the stupid mistake he made & why didn't he answer a radio call or respond the flares (or whatever they are called). 3 miles is awfully darn close in my opinion.

By Colette on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 11:46 am:

I think the instructor should be held responsible. He should lose his pilots license permanently and be
made to pay back the money that was spent - either by working it off or with $$ - on his "mistake".

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 12:08 pm:

From what I heard, the radio was not functioning. And for an instructor to allow a student to take off in a plane with a non-functioning radio is, imo, inexcusble. And certainly he should have filed a flight plan. And certainly the instructor should have known of the restrictions on flying around DC, and expecially near the Capitol area.

I do think the instructor should be penalized in some way. But I can only guess that we are probably talking tens or maybe even a couple of hundred thousand dollars. For heaven's sake, they evacuated everyone in the Capitol buildings (appropriately), plus the fighter aircraft, etc., etc. Frankly, I think the instructor is a moron and should at the very least lose his license for a couple of years.

By Mommmie on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 01:22 pm:

If the Runaway Bride has to pay for search costs then these pilots need to pay for the cost of scrambling those fighters and the cost of evacuating 35,000 people. It's only fair.