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| Sonic boom as US fighter jets intercept plane that later crashed | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The unresponsive aircraft entered restricted airspace above the US capital (file image) | The unresponsive aircraft entered restricted airspace above the US capital (file image) |
| US fighter jets scrambled at supersonic speed to intercept an unresponsive plane as it flew over Washington DC on Sunday. | US fighter jets scrambled at supersonic speed to intercept an unresponsive plane as it flew over Washington DC on Sunday. |
| The F-16 jets caused a loud sonic boom that was heard around the region, prompting concern from some residents. | The F-16 jets caused a loud sonic boom that was heard around the region, prompting concern from some residents. |
| They were deployed after the plane entered some of the most heavily restricted airspace in the country and failed to respond to the authorities. | They were deployed after the plane entered some of the most heavily restricted airspace in the country and failed to respond to the authorities. |
| It then crashed in a rural area of Virginia after a rapid descent. | It then crashed in a rural area of Virginia after a rapid descent. |
| Police and rescuers reached the wreckage near the George Washington National Forest by foot hours later and said no survivors had been found. Four people were reportedly on board. | |
| It is not clear why the pilot was unresponsive or what caused the Cessna Citation light aircraft to come down. Military officials speaking on condition on anonymity said it was not shot down and the fighter jets did not cause the crash. | It is not clear why the pilot was unresponsive or what caused the Cessna Citation light aircraft to come down. Military officials speaking on condition on anonymity said it was not shot down and the fighter jets did not cause the crash. |
| US aviation officials said the plane took off from Elizabethtown, Tennessee at 13:14 local time on Sunday and was heading to Long Island in New York. | US aviation officials said the plane took off from Elizabethtown, Tennessee at 13:14 local time on Sunday and was heading to Long Island in New York. |
| But flight tracking data shows the pilot turned around after reaching Long Island and then flew south over Washington. The flight data ends at around 15:30 near Montebello in Virginia and shows it descended at great speed. | |
| The private plane was reportedly registered to the Florida-based company Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc. John Rumpel, 75, who owns the business told the New York times that his daughter, two-year-old granddaughter and her nanny were on the plane along with the pilot. | The private plane was reportedly registered to the Florida-based company Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc. John Rumpel, 75, who owns the business told the New York times that his daughter, two-year-old granddaughter and her nanny were on the plane along with the pilot. |
| He said they had been returning to New York from his North Carolina home. "It descended at 20,000 ft a minute, and nobody could survive a crash from that speed," Mr Rumpel said. | He said they had been returning to New York from his North Carolina home. "It descended at 20,000 ft a minute, and nobody could survive a crash from that speed," Mr Rumpel said. |
| President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident at the time, officials said. He was playing golf at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when the fighter jets departed from there. | President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident at the time, officials said. He was playing golf at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when the fighter jets departed from there. |
| You might be interested in: | You might be interested in: |
| From 2021: People's reaction to a sonic boom heard across the East of England was caught on camera | From 2021: People's reaction to a sonic boom heard across the East of England was caught on camera |
| From 2021: People's reaction to a sonic boom heard across the East of England was caught on camera | From 2021: People's reaction to a sonic boom heard across the East of England was caught on camera |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Washington DC | Washington DC |
| Virginia | Virginia |
| United States | United States |