On 17 February, 1974, US Army Private Robert K. Preston stole a Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter from Maryland and landed it on the South Lawn of the White House in a major breach of security. Preston had enlisted in the Army to become a helicopter pilot but he did not graduate from the helicopter training course and lost his opportunity to attain the rank of warrant officer pilot. Preston believed this to be unfair and later stated that he stole the chopper only to show his skills as a pilot.
