A plane used as a backup for Air Force One and its fighter jet escort swooped low in the sky over New York on Monday morning as part of a government photo-op, panicking workers whose memories of the Sept. 11 attacks are still fresh, forcing evacuations and prompting an outcry from lawmakers.
The White House later issued an apology over the incident.
The flyover — involving a 747 that is one of two used by the president and an Air Force F-16 fighter jet — took place in Lower Manhattan’s financial district and caused traders, construction workers and others to flee for safety. An Air Force spokeswoman said the “aerial photo mission” was authorized to take place in Lower Manhattan and New Jersey and was to last 30 minutes.
The New York Police Department said in a statement that the flight was authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration “for the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty.” It said “local authorities” had been told not to disclose information about it and to direct inquiries to the FAA.
The FAA did not return calls for comment, but a spokesman there was quoted by news agencies as saying local authorities were made aware of the flight before it took place.
The flyover infuriated New York lawmakers, who said they were not notified in advance and lashed out at federal authorities. The Air Force referred calls to the White House, but White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, when questioned at his daily briefing, said he was unaware of the photo mission.
Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, subsequently said in a statement that he approved the mission last week.
“I take responsibility for that decision,” Caldera said. “While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said it was “outrageous and appalling” that the FAA would plan the photo-op “knowing full well that New Yorkers would still have the memory of 9/11 sketched in their minds.”
“We cannot let this happen again,” he said.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was “furious” that he was not notified about the flyover. Had he known, he said, he would have tried to stop it.