WASHINGTON — A wayward and unresponsive enterprise airplane that flew over the nation’s capital Sunday afternoon prompted the navy to scramble a fighter jet earlier than the airplane crashed in Virginia, officers stated. The fighter jet prompted a loud sonic increase that was heard throughout the capital area.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the Cessna Citation took off from Elizabethtown, Tennessee, on Sunday and was headed for Long Island’s MacArthur Airport. Inexplicably, the airplane circled over New York’s Long Island and flew a straight path down over D.C. earlier than it crashed over mountainous terrain close to Montebello, Virginia, round 3:30 p.m.

It was not instantly clear why the airplane was nonresponsive, why it crashed or how many individuals had been on board.

A U.S. official confirmed to The Associated Press that the navy jet had scrambled to answer the small airplane, which later crashed. The official was not licensed to publicly talk about particulars of the navy operation and spoke on situation of anonymity.

Flight monitoring websites confirmed the jet suffered a speedy spiraling descent, dropping at one level at a fee of greater than 30,000 toes per minute earlier than crashing within the St. Mary’s Wilderness.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command later stated in a press release that the F-16 was licensed to journey at supersonic speeds, which prompted a sonic increase.

“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,” the assertion stated. “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 airplane that crashed was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc. A lady who recognized herself as Barbara Rumpel, who's listed because the president of the corporate in Melbourne, Florida, stated she had no remark Sunday when reached by a reporter for The Associated Press.

President Joe Biden was enjoying golf at Joint Base Andrews across the time the fighter jet took off. Anthony Guglielmi, spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service, stated the incident had no impression on the president’s actions Sunday. Biden was enjoying golf on the Maryland navy base along with his brother within the afternoon.

A White House official stated: “The President was briefed on the incident. The sound resulting from the authorized DOD aircraft was faint at JBA.”

The Pentagon and the D.C. Air National Guard didn't instantly reply to requests for touch upon Sunday.

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Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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