DC sonic boom today: Owner of private jet chased by F-16s across capital speaks out

Sonic boom caused by fighter jets heard in Virginia

A prominent Florida businessman has identified himself as the owner of the private jet that crashed in the Virginia wilderness after it flew over Washington DC’s restricted airspace.

There was a loud sonic boom across the capital region as two F-16s were scrambled to meet the Cessna jet, which flew by sensitive sites including the White House and the US Capitol before coming down in a sparsely populated area.

John Rumpel was quoted by The Washington Post as saying that his “entire family” was on the plane when it crashed. Earlier, investigative sources told Reuters that the private jet, which has a capacity of up to 12, had four people on board.

Virginia State Police said that they were unable to locate any survivors at the crash site so far.

The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] told The Independent the private aircraft had taken off from Tennessee bound for New York but eventually crashed near Staunton, about 150 miles southwest of DC.

On Sunday afternoon the chase caused a sonic boom over that led many residents to panic as their houses shook, according to local reports.

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Two fighter jets authorised to fly at supersonic speeds caused the sonic boom

Two fighter jets were sent from Joint Base Andrews to intercept a private plane which entered restricted airspace over Washington DC yesterday afternoon.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command [Norad] said in a statement that two F-16 jets were deployed after the Cessna 560 Citation V flew over Washington and Northern Virginia.

Norad said that the fighter jets “were authorised to travel at supersonic speeds,” which led to a sonic boom heard in the capital region.

It was reported that the F-16s used flares to try and get the attention of the private jet’s pilot, who was unresponsive.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 07:30

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‘Nobody could survive a crash from that speed’

The owner of the private jet that crashed into the mountains of Virginia is certain “nobody could survive a crash from that speed”.

John Rumpel, 75, a Florida businessman who owned the Cessna Citation plane that flew into restricted Washington DC airspace before crashing told New York Times that he had little information about the crash but added if the plane lost pressurisation, “they all just would have gone to sleep and never woke up”.

“I don’t think they’ve found the wreckage yet,” Mr Rumpel said. “It descended at 20,000 feet a minute, and nobody could survive a crash from that speed.”

Mr Rumpel earlier said that the plane was carrying his daughter, a 2-year-old granddaughter, her nanny and the pilot.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 07:15

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Private jet overshot its planned destination by 315 miles before crashing

The pilot of the Cessna Citation private jet overshot its planned destination by 315 miles before crashing into the mountains of Virginia, sources familiar with the matter were quoted as saying by CNN.

Four people were reportedly on the private plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the flight began when the Cessna took off from Tennessee to Long Island, New York.

It had flown at an altitude of 34,000 and reached Long Island, but it appears not to have landed, instead heading back toward the DC area.

Meanwhile, Virginia State Police has said that no survivors were located at the crash site.

Authorities were notified around 3.50pm of a possible crash.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 06:55

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ICYMI: Capitol Hill was briefly put on ‘elevated alert’

The US Capitol Police said on Sunday that the Capitol complex was placed on an “elevated alert” when the private jet flew over Washington DC’s airspace.

US Capitol Police said in a statement issued yesterday: “This afternoon, our officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. The US Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area.”

The US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that the incident “had no impact on Secret Service”.

Joe Biden was playing golf at the Andrews Air Force Base golf course near Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He was briefed about the incident later.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 06:47

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What is a sonic boom?

A sonic boom is a thunder-like noise caused when an object, like an aircraft, flies overhead faster than the speed of sound.

According to Nasa, “the shock wave forms a ‘cone’ of pressurised or built-up air molecules, which move outward and rearward in all directions and extend all the way to the ground. As this cone spreads across the landscape along the flight path, it creates a continuous sonic boom along the full width of the cone’s base. The sharp release of pressure, after the buildup by the shock wave, is heard as the sonic boom”.

The change in air pressure associated with a sonic boom is only a few pounds per square foot – about the same pressure change experienced riding an elevator down two or three floors, Nasa website explains.

“It is the rate of change, the sudden changing of the pressure, which makes the sonic boom audible.”

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 06:38

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Sonic boom heard over Washington DC

A sonic boom was heard all over Washington DC yesterday as fighter jets scrambled to meet an unresponsive private jet.

“We are aware of reports from communities throughout the National Capital Region of a loud ‘boom’ this afternoon,” DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management tweeted on Sunday afternoon after residents took to social media to share their experience of the sonic boom.

The agency added that “there is no threat at this time”.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 06:14

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Panicked residents take to social media as sonic boom heard over Washington DC

Panicked residents of Washington DC took to Twitter after a sonic boom was heard over the capital region on Sunday afternoon.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 06:08

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Route of Cessna Citation private jet mapped

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the flight of private jet began when the Cessna took off from Tennessee to Long Island, New York.

It had flown at an altitude of 34,000 and reached Long Island but did not land, instead heading back toward the DC area.

Flight data shows the jet flew directly over the centre of Washington DC, entering and passing through the city’s restricted airspace.

It reportedly overshot its destination by 315 miles before crashing in the Virginia wilderness.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 05:58

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Capitol Hill was briefly put on ‘elevated alert’

The US Capitol Police said on Sunday that the Capitol complex was placed on an “elevated alert” when the private jet flew over Washington DC’s airspace.

US Capitol Police said in a statement issued yesterday: “This afternoon, our officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. The US Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area.”

The US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that the incident “had no impact on Secret Service”.

Joe Biden was playing golf at the Andrews Air Force Base golf course near Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He was briefed about the incident later.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 05:48

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Expert suggests ‘hypoxia’ incapacitated private jet pilot

An aviation expert has suggested that hypoxia may have incapacitated the pilot of the Cessna Citation which led to the crash.

Steve Ganyard told ABC News that hypoxia “occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the cabin.” He believes the Sunday crash may be another example of hypoxia incapacitating those aboard the Cessna.

“The pressure should keep enough air in the cabin to stay alert and stay awake. In this case, it can happen insidiously where you lose consciousness, you begin to feel tingling, you get a sense of euphoria and it very slowly overcomes the people in the cabin,” Mr Ganyard said.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the pilot overshot the planned destination by 315 miles before crashing in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the Cessna crash, it was reported.

Maroosha Muzaffar5 June 2023 05:40

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