Washington, D.C
Everything We Know About The Sonic Boom Over D.C.
Topline
A sonic boom heard around the Washington D.C. area was caused by several F-16 fighter jets scrambled by air defense officials on Sunday afternoon to intercept a small private plane whose pilot was unresponsive, which flew over the airspace over the national capital before eventually crashing in Virginia.
File Photo: F-16 fighter jets launched to intercept a private jet caused a sonic boom over … [+]
Key Facts
Authorities from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) scrambled as many as six F-16 from three separate airbases after the pilot of a Cessna jet—reportedly carrying four people—became unresponsive while the plane entered restricted airspace over Washington D.C.
Two F-16s launched from Joint Base Andrews had been authorized to fly at supersonic speeds, which caused a loud sonic boom around 3:10 a.m. local time over D.C. and parts of Maryland and Virginia.
Several residents in the region took to social media and reported hearing a loud explosion that shook houses and windows, which was followed by a statement from D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management saying they were aware of reports of a “loud ‘boom’” adding there was “no threat at this time.”
Various local authorities confirmed on social media that jets launched from Andrews caused the sonic boom, followed by an official statement from NORAD reiterating the same.
NORAD’s statement also added that the fighters also deployed flares to draw the attention of the Cessna pilot, which may have been visible from the ground, but the Cessna eventually crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.
Officials have since confirmed that no survivors were found at the crash site.
News Peg
The crashed aircraft was identified by officials as a Cessna 560 Citation V—designed to carry between seven and 11 passengers. The plane took off from the city of Elizabethton in Tennessee and was scheduled to land at an airport in Long Island, New York. Tracking data from ADS-B Exchange shows the plane reached Long Island but then it turned around, flew straight over the Washington D.C. region, before crashing in Virginia. The cause of the crash is unknown but according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s registry, the aircraft was owned by Florida-based Encore Motors. The company’s owner John Rumpel was not onboard the flight at the time of the crash but told the Washington Post that his “entire family,” including his daughter, a grandchild and her nanny, were on board.
Tangent
At the time when the jets were scrambled, President Joe Biden was playing a game of golf with his brother at a course near Andrews base. White House officials said the sound of the aircraft’s sonic boom was “faint” at the location where the president was and he was later briefed about the crash of the Cessna.
Further Reading
Sonic boom in D.C. region caused by F-16s intercepting Cessna (Washington Post)
No survivors found after plane that flew over DC and led to fighter jet scramble crashes in Virginia (Associated Press)