Six F-16 military jets caused a sonic boom at the Virginia plane crash site, according to the White House.

The White House Briefs on Tragic Private Jet Crash in Virginia

The crash of a john-kerry-reveals-hypocrisy-on-climate-policy/” title=”John Kerry reveals hypocrisy on climate policy”>private jet in rural Virginia has left the nation in shock. The White House held a press briefing on Monday to discuss the incident, which was connected to a sonic boom heard across the Washington, D.C., area.

Details of the Incident

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby revealed in the briefing that six F-16s from three different air bases rushed to intercept an unresponsive Cessna Citation airplane that flew over Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon. The plane crashed near Montebello, Virginia, killing all on board, including the daughter and granddaughter of the Florida-based company owners, John and Barbara Rumpel.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s initial accident report showed that the pilot and all three passengers were killed in the crash. Kirby expressed his deepest condolences to the family members of the loved ones who died in the crash.

The Intercept Attempt

Under NORAD authorization, the F-16s were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region. The F-16 jets came from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and two other bases to intercept the plane, which had entered a restricted FAA zone only permitted for governmental entities.

Kirby stated that the two aircraft from the base in Maryland were the first to reach the Cessna aircraft. “They had to turn on the speed to get to him, which is why people here in the district area heard a sonic boom,” Kirby said. “When they did, they did exactly what they were supposed to do.” The military jets attempted to contact the pilot from the aircraft and made themselves visible. However, the interception was unsuccessful and ended “in the crash and the death of all on board,” Kirby concluded.

Investigation Ongoing

The cause of the crash remains under investigation as investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board searched the scene on Monday. President Joe Biden was briefed and informed of the incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy.