WASHINGTON, D.C. — F-16 fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace above Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and safely escorted it from the area. The Continental U.S. NORAD Region dispatched the fighters after the plane entered the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area, known as the DC SFRA, at around 11:15 a.m.
"The F-16s intercepted the aircraft and ensured it remained clear of restricted airspace without further incident," the North American Aerospace Defense Command said. NORAD uses a layered defense network of radars, satellites, and fighter aircraft to identify and respond to potential threats.
The restricted airspace is a circular zone of about 33 miles around Washington, D.C., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Pilots flying within the DC SFRA must obtain specific clearance from FAA air traffic control, have a specific transponder and call sign, and be in direct contact with air traffic control, according to the FAA. Any plane flying within the zone that does not meet those requirements will be escorted from the region.
Inside the DC SFRA is the Flight-Restricted Zone, a smaller region that includes Reagan National Airport. Only government aircraft and commercial planes operating to or from Reagan National Airport can fly in the Flight-Restricted Zone without a waiver, according to the FAA.
Interceptions of civilian aircraft have occurred in other locations as well. Multiple civilian planes were intercepted for entering temporarily restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago while President Trump was at the Florida resort in the past year. Over a dozen civilian planes were intercepted near Trump's Bedminster golf club in summer 2025. Temporary flight restriction zones are routinely issued by NORAD to protect the president when he is not in Washington, D.C.
In 2023, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an unresponsive Cessna aircraft that had entered restricted airspace over Washington, D.C. That interception created a sonic boom that was heard by residents across the region, according to CBS affiliate WUSA-TV.