4 Oct 202411:05 reconstruction70K views

F-16s Struggle to Intercept Piper Aircraft Breaching Presidential No-Fly Zone

During a presidential visit to the Los Angeles area on 11 May 2012, two F-16s operating a combat air patrol were tasked with intercepting a civilian aircraft approaching the temporary flight restriction around the protected area. The recording captures the fighters trying to acquire the target, losing contact with it, receiving updated position information and working with ATC as the aircraft moved away from the restricted area.

Accident Facts

Date: 11 May 2012

Timeline

11 May 2012 —

F-16s using the callsigns Band 55 and Band 56 operated a combat air patrol during the presidential visit to Los Angeles.

Initial track —

BIGFOOT passed information about a Piper 28 approaching the temporary flight restriction.

Intercept attempt —

Band 55 was tasked to locate the target and requested updated bullseye information.

During the intercept —

The fighters temporarily lost contact with the target and BIGFOOT supplied additional position and heading information.

Further coordination —

Band 56 became involved while the controllers and fighters worked through which aircraft would continue the intercept.

Later —

The target turned southbound and was reported to be about eight minutes from the center of the TFR.

Afterward —

Marine One departed LAX and the fighters received a new monitoring task.

The target was approaching protected airspace

The source describes the target as an aircraft approaching the center of a TFR established during the presidential visit. The fighters were already airborne on combat air patrol, so the response began with an existing military air-defense posture rather than an emergency created by the intercept itself.

Finding the aircraft was not immediate

Band 55 had difficulty acquiring the target and requested a bullseye update. BIGFOOT provided the location and directed the fighter toward the target. Contact was lost again, requiring further assistance.

The exchange also became confusing when Band 56 entered the conversation and the participants clarified which fighter was responsible for the intercept. Those communication difficulties were part of the intercept sequence; they do not establish a failure of the protected-airspace system.

The Piper turned away

The source states that the target turned southbound before reaching the center of the TFR and that BIGFOOT later reported it was eight minutes from the protected asset. The available record does not identify the civilian aircraft by registration or establish why it entered the restricted area.

After Marine One departed, Band 55 received another monitoring mission. The source therefore ends with the protected event contained without a collision or reported injury.

The documented record

“We are eight minutes from our protective asset.” — BIGFOOT, as reproduced in the source recording

Conclusion

This was an airspace-security intercept, not an accident reconstruction. The source supports the sequence of the fighters being tasked, struggling to acquire the target, receiving updated information and ultimately watching it turn away from the protected area. It does not establish the civilian pilot’s intent or a final enforcement finding, so those details are not inferred.

Sources

Video source (ATC/audio reconstruction)

Audio from the original air traffic control recording, sourced from public recordings and released investigation records. The reconstruction, animation and written account are our own.