By Jim Hoft, Jun. 4, 2023 8:00 pm, 710 Comments
On Sunday, The Gateway Pundit reported that an explosion-like sound shocked the residents in the vicinity of Washington DC, echoing across nearby areas in Maryland and Virginia.
At first, authorities claimed the cause of the loud boom that occurred at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday was just an F-16 fighter plane that broke the sound barrier while participating in military drills over the Chesapeake Bay.
New developments revealed that four F-16 fighter planes, two from the DC National Guard’s Andrews Air Force Base and two from a base in Atlantic City, New Jersey to intercept an unresponsive aircraft that eventually crashed in the southwestern region of Virginia.
According to an earlier report by ABC News, a U.S. official stated that the pilot of the Cessna appeared to have “passed out” while at the controls.
The FAA reported that the Cessna crashed at 3:30 p.m., 10 minutes after the F-16s intercepted it.
The Gateway Pundit reported that the aircraft that crashed was registered under FAA records as N611VG, and according to The Mirror, the Cessna Citation is owned by Encore Motors of Melbourne.
Per The Mirror:
Public government records say the aircraft was owned by Encore Motors of Melbourne, which company records say Barbara Rumpel is president of. It is not known who was on the aircraft at the time, however.
A woman by the same name is also on the NRA board of directors for 2023 and served on Donald Trump’s 2nd Amendment Coalition – but it has not been confirmed they are the same person.
The claims that Barbara Rumpel was one of the passengers, which have been circulating on the internet, are not true.
When contacted by the Associated Press, Barbara Rumpel declined to provide any comments regarding the incident.
In a brief interview with Washington Post, John Rumpel confirmed he owns Encore Motors.
He confirmed the heartbreaking news that his entire family was on board the ill-fated plane during the time of the crash.
The family members included his daughter, a grandchild, and their nanny.
“Public aviation records said the plane that crashed was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, a Florida-based company. Reached by phone, John Rumpel said he was the owner of Encore. Asked whether the plane that crashed was owned by Encore, he said: “To the best of my knowledge.” Rumpel said his “entire family” was on board, including his daughter, a grandchild and her nanny. “We know nothing about the crash,” he said. “We are talking to the FAA now. … I’ve got to keep the line clear,” Washington Post reported.
** End **
NORAD Issues Statement About Unresponsive Aircraft That Crashed In Virginia
By Jim Hoft Jun. 4, 2023 7:00 pm385 Comments
On Sunday, The Gateway Pundit reported that an explosion-like sound shocked the residents in the vicinity of Washington DC, echoing across nearby areas in Maryland and Virginia.
The authorities have determined that the cause of the loud boom that occurred at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday was just an F-16 fighter plane that broke the sound barrier while participating in military drills over the Chesapeake Bay, per Daily Mail.
The drills were said to be routine and not a result of a serious military crisis.
New developments revealed that US F-16 fighter jets were rapidly deployed, causing a sonic boom in response to an unresponsive aircraft in restricted airspace that eventually crashed in the southwestern region of Virginia.
The FAA has confirmed a Cessna Citation crashed into the mountainous region of Southwest Virginia on Sunday afternoon.
“A Cessna Citation crashed into mountainous terrain in a sparsely populated area of southwest Virginia around 3 p.m. local time on June 4. The aircraft took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tenn., and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York,” FAA said in a statement.
“The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and provide all further updates,” it added.
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) issued a statement and claimed they did not shoot the plane down in Virginia.
In coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, NORAD F-16 fighter aircraft responded to an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia on June 4, 2023.
The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region.
During this event, the NORAD aircraft also used flares – which may have been visible to the public – in an attempt to draw attention from the pilot. Flares are employed with highest regard for safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground. Flares burn out quickly and completely and there is no danger to the people on the ground when dispensed.
The civilian aircraft was intercepted at approximately 3:20 p.m. Eastern Time. The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia. NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed.
NORAD said that four F-16 fighter planes, two from the DC National Guard’s Andrews Air Force Base and two from a base in Atlantic City, New Jersey, intercepted the Cessna.
Two F-16 fighter aircraft from Andrews were authorized to fly at supersonic speed to catch up with the plane.
DOD said the pursuit was not responsible for the plane crash.
** End **