USA
Pilot of intercepted Cessna probably slumped in seat
The Pentagon in Washington DC. photo
© Patrick Semansky/AP
A small plane approaches Washington, the pilot does not respond to flares. The US military eventually intercepts the machine. A short time later it crashes. What happened?
The pilot of a small plane that the US Air Force has called into action near the US capital Washington reportedly slumped in his seat. The Air Force fighter pilots observed this, among other things, the broadcaster CNN reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the incident.
The accident investigators are now investigating, among other things, a lack of oxygen as a possible reason for this. According to media reports, in addition to the pilot, there were three other passengers on board the machine, which ultimately crashed in a sparsely populated area in the US state of Virginia – near Washington. Survivors were not found.
On Sunday, US military F-16 fighter jets took off to intercept the Cessna Citation light aircraft as it approached the capital. The pilot had previously not responded. Because the jets reached supersonic speeds, there was a loud bang that could be heard in Washington and the neighboring states of Virginia and Maryland. According to the North American air defense command Norad, the US military had tried, among other things, to contact the pilot of the Cessna with flares. But he didn’t respond. Many questions remained unanswered.