F-16 fighters intercept plane that entered restricted airspace over Washington, D.C.

F-16 fighter planes intercepted a civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace above Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and safely escorted it from the area, military officials said.

The aircraft entered the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area around 11:15 a.m., the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a news release. F-16s were dispatched by the Continental U.S. NORAD Region.

The F-16s “intercepted the aircraft and ensured it remained clear of restricted airspace without further incident,” NORAD said.

The restricted area is a circular zone about 33 miles around the city, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Pilots flying within the area must have specific clearance from FAA air traffic control, use an assigned transponder and call sign, and maintain direct contact with air traffic control.

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Any plane flying within the area that does not meet those requirements will be escorted from the region, the FAA said. NORAD said it uses “a layered defense network of radars, satellites, and fighter aircraft to identify and respond to potential threats,” including civilian aircraft not cleared to enter the zone.

Inside the Special Flight Rules Area is the Flight-Restricted Zone, a smaller region that includes Reagan National Airport. Only government aircraft and commercial planes arriving at or departing from the airport can operate in this area without a waiver, according to the FAA.

Interceptions of civilian planes in restricted airspace are not uncommon. In the past year, multiple planes were intercepted for entering temporarily restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago while President Trump was at the Florida resort. More than a dozen similar incidents occurred at 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 entered restricted airspace over D.C. CBS affiliate WUSA-TV reported that the jets created a sonic boom heard by residents across the region.