White House evacuated in small-plane scare

A small plane strayed within three miles of the White House, leading to frantic evacuation of the Executive Mansion and the Capitol with military jets scrambling to intercept the aircraft and firing flares to steer it away.

A pilot and student pilot, en route yesterday from Pennsylvania to an air show in North Carolina, were taken into custody after their flight sparked a frenzy of activity that tested the US capital’s post-September 11 response system.