An unresponsive aeroplane flying over Washington DC on Sunday 4th June 2023 prompted military fighter jets to intercept the aircraft at hypersonic levels, resulting in a loud sonic boom that reverberated across Washington DC and Virginia.
The fighter jets were dispatched to intercept the plane but weren’t successful as the plane eventually crashed in Virginia, leading to the loss of four lives, according to authorities.
The crash site was reached by first responders on Sunday evening, following a four-hour search conducted by state and local authorities both on the ground and in the air, as reported by the Virginia State Police.
According to a source familiar with the response, the pilot of the private jet was observed slumped over in his seat when the interception took place.
The Cessna 560 Citation V, carrying a lone pilot and three passengers, took off in Tennessee and was bound for New York before it crashed in the densely wooded area near Waynesboro, Virginia, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday.
Investigators looking into the crash are reportedly focusing their attention on the possibility of hypoxia, which refers to a shortage of oxygen in the blood.
This is being considered as a potential explanation for the lack of response from both the pilot and passengers when attempts were made to establish contact by air traffic controllers and other civilian aircraft.
