Suicidal Pilot Charged By Federal Authorities
By Tom Murray
MADISON - Federal prosecutors have charged a Canadian flight student with piloting a stolen plane into the U.S. in what they say was a suicide attempt. Wisconsin Air National Guard fighter jets traced 31-year-old Adam Leon for approximately five of the six hours he was in the air.
Two F-16s left Truax Field at the Dane County Regional Airport to intercept the pilot. His intentions were a mystery and ignored orders to land.
A supervisor with the 115th Fighter Wing in Madison said his pilots gave a "textbook performance".
"We were notified that a there was an aircraft headed over the International border and headed our way," Lt. Col. Bruce Fischer told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray.
Fischer was in the command post when his pilots went after the stolen Cessna 172 from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Minnesota National Guard jets flew with the plane past Wausau, then Wisconsin took over until the Cessna landed on a highway in Missouri.
"I understand that he waved at the Minnesota pilots when they were flying past him and he flashed his landing lights at our pilots," said Fischer. "We knew he saw our guys, but he didn't answer the radio and he didn't follow any of the instructions we passed."
Leon is a Canadian citizen originally from Turkey. After he landed, he told authorities he wanted to commit suicide and was hoping fighter jets would shoot him down. The F-16s fired no weapons, but they did send flares.
"Our fighters will dispense flares in an effort to get the attention of the pilots," explained Fischer.
Leon's plane came within five to ten miles of the evacuated State Capitol Building.
Fischer says his pilots have trained for this very scenario.
"We regularly train with the Wisconsin Civil Air Patrol using their Cessnas to pretend that they're stolen aircraft," he said.
The Wisconsin pilots took orders in the air from NORAD. Fischer said shooting the Cessna down was never discussed over radio communications.
According to the federal complaint, Leon said he flew the plane into the U.S. expecting to be shot down by military aircraft. The complaint says Leon told authorities he recently was being treated by a psychiatrist.
Authorities say Leon flew the plane for six hours Monday night before landing it on a rural Missouri road when it started to run out of fuel.
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