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2023 Virginia plane crash

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2023 Virginia plane crash
Cessna 560 Citation V similar to the one involved in the accident
Accident
DateJune 4, 2023 (2023-06-04)
SummaryPlane crash, cause under investigation
SiteGeorge Washington National Forest, Virginia
Aircraft
Aircraft typeCessna 560 Citation V
OperatorPrivately owned
RegistrationN611VG
Flight originElizabethton Municipal Airport
StopoverLong Island MacArthur Airport
Passengers3
Crew1
Fatalities4
Injuries0
Survivors0

On June 4, 2023, a privately operated Cessna 560 Citation V carrying three passengers and a pilot crashed at approximately 3:30PM EST ENE of St. Mary's Wilderness - Swimming Hole[1] near George Washington National Forest, Virginia killing everyone on board after the crew had been found unresponsive. The plane had previously entered the no-fly zone over Washington, D.C. and was intercepted by F-16 fighter jets before it crashed. As of June 5, 2023, the accident is under investigation by the FAA and NTSB.[2][3]

Accident

The plane involved in the accident was a Cessna 560 Citation V, registered N611VG to Encore Motors of Melbourne, a Florida-based company under the ownership of John and Barbara Rumpel.[3][4] It departed from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee and flew on the correct bearing to land at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ICAO: KISP) in New York, but subsequently failed to timely descend on final approach & eventually entered the no-fly zone over Washington, D.C.[3]

The U.S. Capitol complex, including the offices of the Aviation Subcommittees of both Houses of Congress,[5][6] was placed on "elevated alert" when the plane flew over the restricted airspace as reported by the U.S. Capitol Police.[7] After being informed of incursion, NORAD deployed six F-16 fighter jets to intercept the plane. Two jets from the 113th Fighter Wing at Joint Base Andrews were the first to reach the Cessna and attempt to contact the pilot.[8] The Cessna was intercepted at approximately 3:20PM EST. F-16s used flares to draw the Cessna pilot's attention, although the plane's pilot was unresponsive.[2]

The F-16s caused a sonic boom over Washington, D.C. in response to the airspace intrusion.[9][10] According to preliminary reports by FAA, it "crashed into mountainous terrain in a sparsely populated area of southwest Virginia" around 3:30PM EST.[3] However, the crash site was later determined to be near George Washington Forest. Before crashing, the Cessna overshot its destination by 315 miles.[11] Tracking data from FlightAware indicated that the plane flew over Washington, D.C. at an altitude of 34,000 feet before it crashed.[12] Virginia State Police were notified of the accident at approximately 3:50PM EST.[2]

F16 Fighting Falcon of the United States Air Force

Cause

Loss of cabin pressure causing unconsciousness was a potential cause of the accident discussed by the owner of the aircraft.[13] U.S. officials said that the intercept pilots had seen the Cessna's pilot "passed out" at the controls.[9] The autopilot's flight path raised a potential issue of the psychological component of Airman Medical Certificates, specifically whether the Medical Doctor who conducts the physical exam ought to also be liable for the psychological security of all flights.[14][15] Neither the NOVA Medical Examiner (in Manassas, with jurisdiction over Augusta County & Langley)[16] nor any FBI (Lab) Forensic Pathologist[17] has denied the presence of DNA from any potential high jacker.

Passengers and crew

As of June 5, 2023, the victims have not been officially identified by the FAA or NTSB and the accident is under investigation. The FAA confirmed four people died as a result of the crash.[4] According to unofficial reports from The New York Times, John Rumpel's daughter, granddaughter, her nanny, as well as the pilot were on board the plane during the crash.[3] In an interview, Rumpel said that the Cessna “descended at 20,000 feet a minute”.[3]

Aftermath

First responders who were notified of the crash at 3:50PM EST reported that no survivors were found in the wreckage. CNN reported that the plane left a "crater" leading responders to believe that it impacted the ground at a very steep angle.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Farm1945A
  2. ^ a b c Dev, S. (2023-06-05). "Military jets scrambled due to unresponsive small plane over Washington that then crashed in Virginia". CBS News. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnes, Julian E.; Albeck-Ripka, Livia; Holpuch, Amanda (2023-06-04). "Sonic Boom Heard Across D.C. Area Was From Military Jets, Officials Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  4. ^ a b "FAA Accident and Incident Notification(s): Notice(s) Created 05-JUN-23". Federal Aviation Administration. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Committee Membership List, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation". senate.gov. Office of the Secretary Webmaster. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-05. Majority Members (7) Duckworth, Tammy (IL), Chairman[...]Minority Members (6) Moran, Jerry (KS), Ranking Member
  6. ^ Harclerode, Justin (2023-06-05). "Aviation Subcommittee, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Republican office, U.S. House of Representatives". transportation.house.gov. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Republican office, U.S. House of Representatives, 2165 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  7. ^ a b Elizabeth Wolfe, Natasha Bertrand, Haley Britzky, Pete Muntean, Brian Todd, Lauren Koenig, Lauren Mascarenhas (2023-06-05). "First responders say fatal crash of unresponsive plane left a 'crater' with few recognizable pieces". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Balsamo, Michael; Thomas, Ashley (2023-06-04). "No survivors found after plane that flew over DC and led to fighter jet scramble crashes in Virginia". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  9. ^ a b Martinez, Luis (June 5, 2023). "Sonic boom: Unresponsive plane over DC leads F-16s to investigate". ABC News.
  10. ^ David Shepardson; Phil Stewart (June 4, 2023). "Fighter jets chase small plane in Washington area before it crashes in Virginia". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  11. ^ Britzky, Natasha Bertrand,Haley (2023-06-04). "No survivors found at Virginia plane crash site after US fighter jets attempted to intercept its unresponsive pilot, police say". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Cavaliere, Victoria; Levin, Alan (2023-06-04). "US F-16 Triggers Sonic Boom Pursuing Cessna That Crashed". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  13. ^ John Bacon; Tom Vanden Brook; Thao Nguyen (June 5, 2023). "Scrambled F-16s, a sonic boom and plane crash mystery in Virginia: What we know". USA Today.
  14. ^ 14 CFR 67.107(c): "other mental condition"
  15. ^ Mathes, Patricia (2023-03-10). "Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, Item 47. Psychiatric Conditions". faa.gov. Office of the Manager of the FAA Safety Team. Retrieved 2023-06-05. The Examiner's questions should not be stilted or follow a regular pattern; instead, they should be a natural extension of the Examiner's curiosity about the person being examined. Information about the motivation for medical certification and interest in flying may be revealing. A formal Mental Status Examination is unnecessary.
  16. ^ "Virginia Department of Health, Medical Examiner, Contact Us – District Offices". vdh.virginia.gov. Virginia Department of Health. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-05. Northern District, 10850 Pyramid Place, Suite 121, Manassas, VA 20110 Phone: (703) 530-2600 Fax: (703) 530-0510 [...] OCME_NOVA [...] Jurisdictions within the Northern District [...] Augusta County [...] Fairfax County
  17. ^ "FBI National Press Office" (Press release). DC: FBI National Press Office. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-05.

Further reading

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