FAA Designates Airspace Above Nashville ‘National Defense Airspace’ Following Mystery Explosion

Boeing 737-800 passenger jet
file/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has designated the airspace above Nashville, Tennessee, as “National Defense Airspace” following a mysterious explosion that occurred downtown on Christmas morning.

“Pilots who do not adhere to the following procedures may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel,” the alert reads, listing the additional actions that may be taken in the event of a pilot failing to comply with the instructions. These include administrative action, including “imposing civil penalties and the suspension or revocation of airmen certificate” or criminal charges pursued by the U.S. government.

The full text of the alert reads:

FDC 0/8709 ZME PART 1 OF 2 TN..AIRSPACE NASHVILLE, TN..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B), THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS ‘NATIONAL DEFENSE AIRSPACE’. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROCEDURES ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM: A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES; OR B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER TITLE 49 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 46307; OR C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT. PURSUANT TO TITLE 14 CFR SECTION 99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY TEMPORARY 2012252015-2012302245 END PART 1 OF 2 FDC 0/8709 ZME PART 2 OF 2 TN..AIRSPACE NASHVILLE, TN..TEMPORARY FLIGHT FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS, ALL AIRCRAFT FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 1NM RADIUS OF 360952N0864636W (BNA292004.8) SFC-3000FT AGL EFFECTIVE 2012252015 UTC (1415 LOCAL 12/25/20) UNTIL 2012302245 UTC (1645 LOCAL 12/30/20). UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY ATC IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC SECURITY COORDINATOR VIA THE DOMESTIC EVENTS NETWORK (DEN). SAIC ADRIAN VAULK, 615-394-0598, IS IN CHARGE OF THE ON SCENE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITY. THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY IS THE DOMESTIC EVENTS NETWORK / DEN/, TELEPHONE 540-422-4423. 2012252015-2012302245 END PART 2 OF 2

Authorities are continuing to investigate following a mysterious explosion that occurred in the city’s downtown area on Christmas morning, damaging dozens of businesses. Police responded to the sound of gunfire ahead of the blast and heard a loudspeaker warning to evacuate the area prior to the explosion.

“This morning, around 5:30 a.m., officers responded to a call for shots fired in the downtown area, specifically 2nd and near Commerce. As officers responded, they encountered an RV that had a recording saying that a potential bomb would detonate within 15 minutes,” Nashville Police Chief John Drake said, providing an update.

“Officers, upon hearing that, decided to evacuate the buildings nearby. So, they began knocking on doors, making announcements, having emergency communications communicate with everyone to get people safe,” he continued.

“Shortly after that, the RV exploded,” he said. “We had one officer that was knocked to the ground. Another officer is fine”:

As Breitbart News detailed:

Police began going door-to-door to alert people to flee the area before the blast went off. At least two officers were injured by the bombing, one slightly and a second experiencing hearing loss.

The early timing of the explosion coupled with the pre-recorded warning shows that the event was planned to keep casualties to a minimum and result mostly in property damage, as opposed to death.

The Nashville police immediately brought bomb-sniffing dogs to the area to look for more bombs, but none were found.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper declared a state of civil emergency, which will expire Sunday, December 27, at 4:30 p.m.:

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