Police, FAA Looking For Pilot

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a low flying prank at a Hopewell High football game in Huntersville, NC last week.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said someone flew a single-engine Cessna 172 over the school football field at 8 pm Friday night.

Witnesses said the plane may have been as low as 75 feet above the stands, she said. The FAA requires an altitude of at least 1,000 feet when flying over a large group of people.

Witnesses also reported that footballs were tossed from the plane, Bergen said. Dropping items from a plane is also against FAA rules, Bergen said.

Bergen said if the FAA finds the pilot broke FAA rules, then the pilot's license could be suspended or revoked.

The pilot's name was not released. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the pilot is believed to be a Hopewell student, according to the Charlotte Observer.

With the high-school football season well underway, we're also seeing a rise in such "buzzing" incidents. As ANN reported, a couple was charged last month for a similar incident over a game in Sandusky, OH.

FMI: http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/hopewell/, www.faa.gov