Unresponsive plane chase ends in tragedy: Fighter jets pursue and crash in Virginia
Washington, June 5: A dramatic incident unfolded as the United States dispatched F-16 fighter jets in a supersonic chase of a light aircraft with an unresponsive pilot that had violated airspace around Washington DC before crashing into the mountains of Virginia. Unfortunately, no survivors were found at the crash site, according to Virginia state police.
The pursuit of the errant Cessna Citation by the jet fighters resulted in a sonic boom over the US capital, causing alarm among residents in the Washington area. The Cessna was carrying four individuals, as per a reliable source. The specific aircraft model, Cessna Citation, typically has a passenger capacity ranging from seven to twelve.
After a considerable period, first responders finally reached the crash site, but their search yielded no survivors, as confirmed by the Virginia State Police. Flight-tracking website Flight Aware revealed that the Cessna was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, Florida.
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John Rumpel, the owner of Encore Motors, spoke to the Washington Post and disclosed that his daughter, grandchild, and their nanny were aboard the ill-fated flight. He expressed his lack of knowledge regarding the crash and mentioned ongoing discussions with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).
Efforts were made by the US military to establish contact with the unresponsive pilot, who remained unresponsive until the Cessna crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Sources familiar with the matter suggested that the Cessna appeared to be flying on autopilot.
NORAD explained that their aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, which potentially resulted in a sonic boom heard by residents in the region. In an attempt to grab the pilot's attention, NORAD aircraft also deployed flares. It is important to note that US officials have clarified that the fighter jets did not cause the crash.
The Cessna had departed from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee and was headed to Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York, located approximately 50 miles (80 km) east of Manhattan, as stated by the FAA. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct investigations into the incident. Flight Aware data indicates that the plane had apparently reached the New York area before making a nearly 180-degree turn.
While incidents involving unresponsive pilots are rare, they are not unprecedented. In 1999, golfer Payne Stewart and four others tragically perished when their aircraft flew for an extended period with unresponsive occupants before eventually crashing in South Dakota. Similarly, in 2014, a small US private plane with an unresponsive pilot veered off course and triggered a US security alert, including a fighter jet escort, before crashing off the east coast of Jamaica.
The sonic boom from Sunday's events startled many residents in the Washington area, prompting numerous reports on Twitter about a loud noise shaking the ground and walls. Some individuals claimed to have heard the noise as far away as northern Virginia and Maryland.
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- With inputs from agencies
