Andrew Gideon wrote:

Can someone explain why this fellow, after telling ATC he was heading for
Republic, decided to circle the Statue? Did he at least tell them of his
intentions?

Hmm. The NYTimes article was *very* different from that of the Post.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/nyregion/29PLAN.html

For example:

At 1:45 p.m. yesterday, the small plane was flying below 1,000
feet when it crossed south over the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and
passed through La Guardia's airspace, Mr. Peters said. Air
traffic controllers at La Guardia tried to contact the pilot,
but were unsuccessful, Mr. Peters said.

But the Post article said:

Langone said that once he was over the East River, he received
a radio call telling him he'd entered La Guardia airspace.

He answered that he was heading back to Republic, but after passing
the Brooklyn Bridge and heading for the harbor, he decided to first
take a sightseeing loop around the Statue of Liberty.

Who reached him, if Laguardia didn't?

- Andrew