Army Demonstration Team Followed Procedures for Washington, DC Flight

The US Army Recruiting Command has issued a statement regarding its role in the April 20 false alarm that led to the evacuation of the Capitol. 

The demonstration and airshow team was doing a regular performance for the Washington Nationals’ Military Appreciation Night crowd when the U.S. Capitol Police initiated procedures to evacuate Congressional buildings, mistakenly identifying the team's aircraft as a threat. The evacuation of the Capitol complex was completed in accordance with standard procedures for an unknown or possibly hostile aircraft, and was quickly understood to have been a false alarm. Now, the Army, the Capitol Police, and the FAA have dug into the issue to find out just how things had gone awry. 

The Army has proven that it followed all required regulations, planning, and coordination for its flight, and by all means should have been recognized as an authorized operation by Capitol Police. 

“After an initial review of the pre-planning and coordination for the U.S. Army Golden Knights flight and parachute demonstration, we have confirmed that the parachute team filed all appropriate and required Federal Aviation Administration documentation and received FAA approval prior to operating within the National Capitol Region’s airspace,” said Kelli LeGaspi, public affairs director for the Recruiting Command. “The team also confirmed the pilots established and maintained communication with the FAA prior to and throughout the operation.”

“Events like the Washington Nationals’ Military Appreciation Night are great opportunities for the Golden Knights to showcase our Soldiers’ capabilities, spread awareness about the Army, and build the Army’s relationship with communities across the country,” LeGaspi said. “At the hundreds of events the team participates in every year, policy compliance and safety procedures are always top priorities.”

FMI: www.recruiting.army.mil