NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — An armed F-16 intercepted a small plane flying over New York City Tuesday afternoon hours after President Biden delivered his address to the United Nations General Assembly, officials said.
The private, single-engine Cessna 182 plane was flying in restricted airspace and was escorted out of the area without incident, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
"#NORAD F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted a small, single engine general aviation aircraft that violated the Temporary Flight Restriction area near #NYC," the agency tweeted. "The aircraft was escorted out of the TFR w/o incident at approx. 2:00 p.m. EDT. #OperationNobleEagle"
The inderception occurred after Biden left the UN, startling residents in upper Manhattan, near the George Washington Bridge.
"Very low, very loud turns from what looked like an #f16 #nyc to fast for my camera...got some sound!," one Twitter user posted.
The Federal Aviation Authority said it was investigating the incident.
Another person in the area, Allie Weintraub, described the operation as "defeaning."
"Hello! Whoa! I am just N of GWB and it sounded deafening but I didn't even get up to look," she tweeted. (Grew up by an airfield and I am used to the noise.) Friends at least as far south as 150th heard it as well."