After the Capitol building is evacuated, FAA and U.S. military investigations begin

Hundreds of flights enter the restricted airspace around the United States Capitol every week. They typically notify the FAA in advance and move seamlessly into an area secured by surface-to-air missile sites, among other measures.

But Washington residents found out on Wednesday night what happens when those notifications aren’t made after US Capitol police spotted a plane they deemed a “likely threat” circling the area, resulting in a alert and an evacuation of the Capitol.