Narrative:

With reference to my current sectional chart, I proceeded northeast until just west of the patuxent river naval air station restr areas and then turned northward over the patuxent river, ensuring I remained clear of the restr airspace around patuxent. Continuing northward, I remained clear (below) the bwi class B airspace before my planned turn to the northwest en route to fme via pilotage in the areas by familiarity to me. At about this time I spotted the F16 flying overhead in its first pass. My first reaction was that maybe the F16 was headed to passenger river since it is not uncommon for there to be military jets in that area. Proceeding toward fme, the F16 made another couple of passes while it dawned on me that I was the intended 'target' of that aircraft. My second communication radio was already tuned to the emergency frequency of 121.5 because I was familiar with the established intercept procedures. On 121.5 I heard nothing. Shortly thereafter I transmitted twice on 121.5 to try to establish communications with the F16, but got no response. At that point, still not knowing the ADIZ had been established, I thought maybe there was a terrorist incident in washington during the few hours I had been flying for sc. For this reason, I thought the last thing I should do is fly closer to washington, dc. I then decided to land at the closest familiar airport in the opposite direction of washington, which was W29. At W29 I was interviewed by the secret service and the maryland state police. I was interviewed and I answered all their questions. I was also informed that the us customs aircraft were not capable of communication with intercepted aircraft in accordance with the published intercept procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LA4 PLT ENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT CLRNC OR A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE. HE WAS INTERCEPTED BY A MILITARY F16.

Narrative: WITH REFERENCE TO MY CURRENT SECTIONAL CHART, I PROCEEDED NE UNTIL JUST W OF THE PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION RESTR AREAS AND THEN TURNED NORTHWARD OVER THE PATUXENT RIVER, ENSURING I REMAINED CLR OF THE RESTR AIRSPACE AROUND PATUXENT. CONTINUING NORTHWARD, I REMAINED CLR (BELOW) THE BWI CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE MY PLANNED TURN TO THE NW ENRTE TO FME VIA PILOTAGE IN THE AREAS BY FAMILIARITY TO ME. AT ABOUT THIS TIME I SPOTTED THE F16 FLYING OVERHEAD IN ITS FIRST PASS. MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT MAYBE THE F16 WAS HEADED TO PAX RIVER SINCE IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THERE TO BE MILITARY JETS IN THAT AREA. PROCEEDING TOWARD FME, THE F16 MADE ANOTHER COUPLE OF PASSES WHILE IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I WAS THE INTENDED 'TARGET' OF THAT ACFT. MY SECOND COM RADIO WAS ALREADY TUNED TO THE EMER FREQUENCY OF 121.5 BECAUSE I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ESTABLISHED INTERCEPT PROCS. ON 121.5 I HEARD NOTHING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I TRANSMITTED TWICE ON 121.5 TO TRY TO ESTABLISH COMS WITH THE F16, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. AT THAT POINT, STILL NOT KNOWING THE ADIZ HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, I THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A TERRORIST INCIDENT IN WASHINGTON DURING THE FEW HRS I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR SC. FOR THIS REASON, I THOUGHT THE LAST THING I SHOULD DO IS FLY CLOSER TO WASHINGTON, DC. I THEN DECIDED TO LAND AT THE CLOSEST FAMILIAR ARPT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF WASHINGTON, WHICH WAS W29. AT W29 I WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE SECRET SERVICE AND THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE. I WAS INTERVIEWED AND I ANSWERED ALL THEIR QUESTIONS. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE US CUSTOMS ACFT WERE NOT CAPABLE OF COM WITH INTERCEPTED ACFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLISHED INTERCEPT PROCS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.