Clinton’s Campaign Jet Breaks Airport Curfew

Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton may have caused the company that provides his chartered jet to incur a $1,000 fine for violating the noise curfew at Lindbergh Field.

The airport imposes a 10 p.m. curfew on departures of stage 2 aircraft, such as the Boeing 727 owned by the Dallas-based charter company that Clinton is using during the campaign.

Clinton spoke Saturday at a rally in National City and later attended a $250,000 fund-raiser at the home of a Democratic lawyer in Rancho Santa Fe. The Arkansas governor lingered at the party, aides said, and didn’t arrive at Lindbergh until after 10 p.m.

Stage 2 aircraft, considered the loudest and most irritating to nearby homeowners, have an earlier curfew at Lindbergh than the quieter and newer stage 3 jetliners, which can take off as late as 11:30 p.m. Arriving aircraft are exempt from curfews.

The Clinton plane took off at 10:38 p.m., airport manager Bud McDonald said Monday. As a result, the noise review committee of the San Diego Unified Port District will ask Express One, the company that owns the 727, for an explanation for the curfew violation.

The committee will then review the facts, McDonald said, after which one of two things will happen:

“They will get a letter from the Port District saying, ‘We understand your problem, but don’t let it happen again.’ That’s probably likely since this would be this particular company’s first violation. If a fine is assessed, under the rules, the maximum is $1,000.

“Right now, technically, it’s listed as a probable violation, and we’re still looking into it. We have these violations periodically and we have fined people. But in most of these cases, the dog gets one free bite.”

Officials for Express One could not be reached for comment Monday.

Times staff writer David Lauter contributed to this report.