LIATHARGA.MY.ID – Sonic boom reverberated through the skies of Washington DC, United States, as two F-16 fighter jets intercepted an unidentified aircraft.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) stated that the sonic boom was heard after F-16 fighter jets pursued a Cessna 560 Citation V plane in Washington DC and Northern Virginia.
In their statement, Pentagon officials mentioned that both jets took off from Joint Base Andrews and chased the Cessna plane, which crashed in the southwestern Virginia mountainous region.
Residents in the vicinity of Virginia expressed their shock upon hearing the thunderous sound, which shook windows and walls of houses.
“NORAD aircraft are authorized to fly at supersonic speeds, and the sonic boom may have been heard by residents in the area,” stated the North American Aerospace Defense Command, as quoted by AFP.
The Cessna 560 plane crashed near Montebello, Virginia, approximately 170 miles southwest at 3:30 PM local time. Prior to the crash, the F-16 fighter jets attempted to establish contact with the Cessna aircraft’s pilot.
The Cessna plane went down after the interception efforts by the US military. Currently, there is no information available regarding the identity of the pilot or the origin of the foreign aircraft.
White House officials mentioned that the aircraft’s sound was faint at Joint Base Andrews.
A sonic boom occurs when an aircraft flies at a speed exceeding the speed of sound. This sonic boom can cause significant disturbance, not only startling people but also resulting in damage, such as shattered windows.
