A typical relaxing Sunday afternoon turned into a panic hour when residents reported loud noises, shaking, and window rattling as aircraft zoomed past.
After a few minutes of the air chase, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported a plane crashing in the terrain with a heavily wooded area.
What exactly happened that led to this catastrophic crash? Read along for the latest updates and probable cause.
What Happened with Virginia Plane Crash?
At around 3:20 p.m. on Sunday, 4th June 2023, F-16 aircraft were dispatched from Washington, DC, with instructions that an unresponsive plane had entered the restricted area. These supersonic military fighter jets are dedicated government-authorized planes for protection over Washington estate.
But who were these jets chasing?
The Air-traffic control contacted the unidentified plane several times but received no response from the pilot.
A pilot identifying with the Air National Guard said, “If you hear this transmission, contact us.”
Due to the sensitive nature of Washington security, the officials authorized an instant probe into the matter. Just then, a chase ensued, with fighter jets producing a sonic boom.
In a statement, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) stated:
“The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region.”
They were chasing a flight that turned around and kept flying for more than 300 miles.
The fighter jet pilots tried to get the airplane pilot’s attention by firing flare guns. However, they were still not able to get any response. And after a few minutes, the plane crashed in the area near Waynesboro, Virginia.
The plane was estimated to drop at 20000 feet per minute, inferring zero survival rate for such a crash. Finally, the officials were able to identify the aircraft. It was flying from Elizabethton Municipal Airport from East Tennesee and bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York.
It turns out an influential name is associated with this case.
Who Is John Rumpel?
The plane was a Cessna Aircraft under the registration of Encore Motors of Melbourne, Florida. The plane was owned by John Rumpel and his wife, Barbara Rumpel– as per reports, John owns Encore Motors, and Barbara is its president.
John was born and raised in New York on 13th August 1947. While not much is known about his father, his mother Joya Paterson was a model and the President of S&S Industries in New York City. Later, She died in 2011.
John Rumpel was also a pilot who now owns several businesses, including Encore Motors of Melbourne, Delorenzo Group, Absolutely Free, real estate in Florida, and many more.
John Rumpel married Barbara in November 1977, who is an NRA leader from Illinois and a conservative donor. They have two daughters and a granddaughter. John and Barbara adopted their daughter Adina Azarian as an adult when she was working as a real estate agent at one of the residential buildings owned by John.
The Rumpels are loyal supporters of Donald Trump and were even reported to be significant contributors to MAGA donations, giving $250000 to Trump’s Victory PAC 2020. They also run a high-end senior citizen’s facility– Victoria Landing Waterfront Resort Assisted Living and Memory Care in Melbourne, Florida. They named it after their daughter, Victoria, who tragically died during scuba diving 30 years ago.
Who Were the Passengers in the Plane?
With deepest condolences to the Rumpels, Adina Azarian (49), and 2-year-old granddaughter, baby Aria were the passengers in the plane, who were flying back to East Hampton, NY State from her father’s home in North Carolina.
The third passenger was their nanny, who has since been identified as Evadnie Smith.
The private plane could accommodate 12 people, but it carried only three passengers and one pilot that day.
Who Was the Pilot of the Plane During the Virgina Plane Crash?
John Rumpel disclosed the pilot’s name to the officials as Jeff Hefner. He was unresponsive during the flight’s course and was the direct person-of-contact of the Air-traffic control. The chasing pilots did try to get his attention but failed. As per the latest investigation, he was slumped over before crashing into the wooded terrains.
What Type of Plane Crashed in Virgina?
The plane was a Cessna 560 V Citation plane.
The plane can cruise at 427 knots and reach a ceiling of 45000 feet with the extra 800 pounds of power. The estimated cabin pressure in this plane is around 8.9 pounds per square inch (PSI).
What Was the Cause of the Plane Crash in Virginia?
Rapid investigations have commenced in the Virginia plane crash as no bodies were found at the crash site or perimeter.
Continental US North American Aerospace Defense Command Region said.
“The pilot was unresponsive, and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia. NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed.”
The most probable theory is that the plane had extremely low cabin pressure at high altitudes. Which may have caused the pilot to be unresponsive, often referred to as Hypoxia–
Oxygen is not available in sufficient amounts at the tissue level to maintain adequate homeostasis. It’s because of inadequate oxygen delivery to the tissues either due to low blood supply or low oxygen content in the blood (hypoxemia).
It is also assumed that the other passengers might have been unconscious during the crash because of the low cabin pressure. The pilot has restricted time when the pressure drops, around only 30-60 seconds to gear up with oxygen masks or else fall unconscious.
However, no reports have been validated yet. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Adam Gerhardt said-
“Everything is on the table until we slowly and methodically remove different components and elements that will be relevant for this safety investigation.”
The White House has extended condolences to the family as the investigation continues.
What do you think could be the cause of the crash? Some people also pointed out the possibility that fighter jets shot down the private plane for security reasons, even though the officials denied any such claims. Do you find any grounds for this theory?
Let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
