By Jenna Platt
Panic struck Wednesday when a plane was spotted in restricted airspace in Washington, D.C., coming within 3 miles of the White House and U.S. Capitol.
Staffs in the White House and U.S. Capitol were evacuated. Also members of Treasury Department and U.S. Supreme Court were ordered to safer locations according to The Associated Press.
The AP reported, two F-16 fighter planes were spotted over the White House directing the Cessna plane away from the restricted area. These fighter planes also fired warning flares at the plane.
Homeland Security raised the threat level to orange, then red, the highest threat level, all within 4 minutes.
CNN said ?all-clear? was issued 15 min. after the first alert. Those evacuated were allowed back into their respective buildings.
Although President Bush was away from the White House on a bicycle ride at a Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Beltsville, Md., his wife and Mrs. Reagan were in the White House and were evacuated. After Pres. Bush was informed of the issue, he rushed back to the White House.
The AP said reporters were told by guards to relocate to a safer location.
White House Correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, said there was a motorcade of six or seven vehicles leaving the White House during the evacuation, according to CNN.
Guards told those rushing from the building that it was not a drill.
Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, was on the House floor at the time of evacuation. Charles Isom, the communications director for his office, said they were prepared for such an event.
?We have practiced drills using the stairs instead of the elevators, and we have certain meeting points,? Isom said.
The Cessna plane landed in Frederick, Md., approximately 40 miles from the White House. The pilot was handcuffed and taken into custody.
The government decided not to press charges after interviewing the men and determining the incident was an accident.
'They were navigating by sight and were lost,' said Justice Department spokesman Kevin Madden in an interview with the AP.
Officials had been concerned because the plane appeared to be 'on a straight-in shot toward the center of the Washington area,' said Capitol Police Chief Terrance W. Gainer.
Such precautions are taken because of the miscommunication during President Reagan?s funeral last June. Officials lost track of a plane that was carrying Gov. Ernie Fletcher an hour before the funeral was to begin.