William Westhoven

@WWesthoven

Air Force F-15 fighter jets were dispatched Wednesday morning to investigate a small plane over Morris County — flying without authorization near restricted airspace due to the U.N. General Assembly in New York — and divert it from the area, according to multiple sources.

At least one of the noisy fighter jets was seen and heard by many Morris County residents about 7 a.m., banking hard and heading southwest.

"This morning, a small aircraft entered the temporary flight-restricted area 10 miles north of Morristown," said FAA spokesperson Jim Peters, stationed in Jamaica, N.Y. "That's why you saw the jet."

The civilian single-engine aircraft apparently diverted away from the TFR zone before encountering the F-15, according to Maj. Katrina Andrews of the CONR-1st Air Force, the air component of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.

"It was a RV-9 civilian general-aviation aircraft out of Danbury, Ct., and heading to Leesburg, Va.," Andrews said. "Sometimes they realize on their own they are heading to a restricted area and divert themselves."

Andrews said she was not sure if authorities ever communicated with the RV-9 pilot, and was unaware if it ever crossed into the actual TFR zone. She did not know if authorities had any plans to contact the RV-9 pilot.

Two F-15s were already patrolling the New York region airspace due to security protocols for the U.N. General Assembly, and were dispatched to investigate, Andrews said, declining to identify their origin or flight pattern due to security restrictions.

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Jeff Paul, director of the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, issued an advisory that the "situation was resolved without any issues impacting Morris County."

"Earlier this morning, The Morris County Communications Center, as well as a number of Morris County Police Departments, received reports of a low-flying fighter jet," Paul wrote. "The Morris County Office of Emergency Management has confirmed that a fighter jet was dispatched to address a small aircraft that violated the temporary flight restriction, which is in place during the United Nations session."

Temporary flight restrictions due to the 68th U.N. General Assembly began on Sunday and continue through Sept. 30. The TFRs vary by day and class of aircraft, from a 2 nautical mile restriction on Sunday that only affected select Manhattan heliports to specific restrictions for multiple airports, including Morristown, on Thursday and Friday.

Aircraft without certain permissions are not allowed to enter the flight-restricted areas, Morristown Municipal officials said.

"Pilots who do not adhere to the following procedures may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by federal law enforcement/security personnel," the FAA advisory states. "The United States Government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat."

Penalties for violators can include the suspension or revocation of airmen certificates and criminal charges.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.

Editor's note: Story was updated to reflect type of aircraft was an Air Force F-15 fighter jet, not an F-16 as previously reported, and the civilian single-engine aircraft was apparently diverted away, not intercepted, as originally reported.