The Hungarian National Police announced on 2026-08-30 that an intoxicated pilot was arrested after stealing a Cessna 172 from Kalocsa Airport and flying toward a nuclear power plant before crash-landing in a field. ^[1] A 24-year-old man allegedly stole a Cessna 172 aircraft in Hungary and flew it into restricted airspace near the Paks nuclear power plant. ^[2] According to Hungarian authorities, the man stole the Cessna 172 from Kalocsa Airport, and the Hungarian Defense Forces spotted him on radar and dispatched Gripen fighter aircraft to intercept him. ^[3] Hungarian Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said on 2026-08-29 in a Facebook post that the incident was a 'strange alert' and thanked the Hungarian Defense Forces for their 'quick response' and 'steadfastness,' adding that no personnel were injured. ^[4] The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a sunflower field in Gerjen, sustaining minor injuries and damaging the aircraft, according to Hungarian authorities. ^[5] Hungary's military deployed two Gripen fighter jets to intercept the unauthorized aircraft after it was detected. ^[6] The aircraft made an emergency landing in a sunflower field around four miles from the nuclear facility, suffering extensive damage. ^[7] The suspect was intoxicated when the incident occurred, according to police reports. ^[8] Military radars detected the stolen aircraft near the Paks nuclear power plant, and two Gripen fighter jets were scrambled to pursue it. ^[9] The incident ended with an emergency landing on a sunflower field near Gerjen, Hungary, where rescue services, a helicopter, and ground units arrived. ^[10] Authorities are investigating the incident, including how the man gained access to the aircraft, and are checking whether the driver was under the influence of drugs. ^[11]