U.S. Capitol Police failed to alert the House of Representatives about the brief lock down of the Capitol when a gyrocopter landed on the lawn April 15, alerting only the Senate, according to advanced copies of testimony posted by the U.S. House Oversight Committee.
The Capitol Police chief and the U.S. House sergeant-at-arms will provide new details about the incident in front of the Oversight Committee in testimony expected Wednesday.
The testimony also reveals Capitol Police were warned of a possible drone 24 minutes before the gyrocopter landed and officers saw it two minutes before it landed.
Florida postal carrier Doug Hughes, 61, steered his small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace for 30 miles to the U.S. Capitol.
Hughes apparently wanted to draw attention to campaign finance corruption.
He was charged with two federal crimes, violating restricted airspace and operating an unregistered aircraft. The crimes carry penalties of up to four years in prison and fines.
