Statement Released After F-16s Intercepting Plane That Violated Restricted Airspace in Washington D.C. Cause Sonic Boom

June 5, 2023

A 113th Wing, D.C. Air National Guard, F16-C Falcon is ushered onto the runway before heading out to its forward deployed location Oct. 11. More than 175 113 WG members departed on the Air Expeditionary Force deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Craig Clapper)

The D.C. National Guard scrambled F-16 fighters from Joint Base Andrews after a Cessna 560 Citation V violated restricted air space in Washington D.C.

The F16s sonic boom caused concerns and many 911 calls until officials confirmed the noise was caused by the military jets.

According to (NORAD) North American Aerospace Defense Command, the fighters intercepted the Cessna at about 3:20 p.m., with fighter pilots finding the pilot of the Cessna was found unresponsive. NORAD said the military aircraft tried to make contact with the Cessna pilot and even deployed flares in an attempt to get their attention, until the plane crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.

FAA, Virginia State Police, NORAD, U.S. Capitol Police are investigating. The pilot never responded to attempts to establish communication

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. No survivors were found.

A Cessna departed from Elizabethton, Tennessee bound for Long Island, New York. The planes flight path showed the Cessna arrived in New York but instead of landing, the plane turned around over Long Island and flew a straight path over D.C.

U.S. Capitol Police released the following statement. “This afternoon, United States Capitol Police officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. The U.S. Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area.