US reports 3,400 violations of restricted airspace

By John Crawley, Reuters, Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:23 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pilots violated U.S. airspace restrictions nearly 3,400 times from mid-September 2001 to the end of 2004, with most of the incidents involving the no-fly area around Washington, D.C., according to a congressional report on Thursday.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted gaps among key agencies in coordinating the response to aircraft that stray too close to government centers, landmarks, nuclear plants, and areas that are temporarily off limits.
Nearly 90 percent of airspace violations are committed by private pilots, who may be trying to avoid bad weather or are unaware of the restrictions, it said.