D.C. stunt raises security issues
Gyrocopter flight to Capitol leaves lawmakers fuming.
A Florida postal carrier “literally flew under the radar” through protected Washington airspace and landed his gyrocopter onto the Capitol lawn.
WASHINGTON — The Florida postal carrier charged Thursday with two federal crimes for steering his gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace “literally flew under the radar” to the lawn of the Capitol, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said as key lawmakers raised alarms about security risks.
Doug Hughes, 61, was charged with violating restricted airspace and operating an unregistered aircraft, crimes that carry penalties of up to four years in prison and fines.
He was released from custody and allowed to return to Florida on home detention.
A federal magistrate judge told him to stay away from Washington except for court visits.
Hughes’ stunt, aimed at drawing attention to the need for campaign finance reform, exposed a seam in the U.S. government’s efforts to protect federal buildings.
The flight caused no injuries and few disruptions as Hughes flew low and slowly, landing between the Capitol and its reflecting pool on Wednesday. But lawmakers demanded explanations for how he managed to remain undetected as he flew the lightweight craft to the National Mall from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Concerns were only magnified by the confirmation that Hughes was interviewed in 2013 by the U.S. Secret Service, which apparently determined he did not pose a threat, according to Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“I think that there’s absolutely a gap, and it’s a very dangerous gap, with regard to our airspace,” Cummings said.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, said he would consider holding hearings.
But Johnson said it’s too soon to say whether security changes are needed. “I want to know all the facts before I reach an assessment of what can and should be done about gyrocopters in the future,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill.
“We are a democracy. We don’t have fences around our airspace, so we’ve got to find the right balance between living in a free and open society, and security and the protection of federal buildings,” Johnson said.