NORAD F-16 fighter jets scrambled to intercept a business jet that veered off its set course, eventually crashing, killing all onboard.
According to official statements, the jet departed from Elizabethton in Tenessee earlier in the day and was, according to its flight manifest, destined for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York. However, the jet never reached its destination and apparently turned around over Long Island to fly straight for the U.S. capital. According to sources familiar with the investigation, CNN reports, the aircraft had four people on board and went off course by 315 miles before ultimately crashing.
According to FAA records, the crashed private jet belonged to Encore Motors of Melbourne, Inc., a Florida-based company headed by Barbara Rumpel. When contacted on Sunday, Barbara's husband, John Rumpel, confirmed that they were the company's owners and assured CNN that Barbara was safe. However, Mrs. Rumpel left a comment on someone else's Facebook post, expressing that her family, including her daughter and granddaughter, have "gone." John Rumpel, Mrs. Rumpel's husband, did, however,that his family, consisting of his daughter, granddaughter, and nanny, were also on the flight. The family had just returned from a four-day visit to North Carolina and were returning to their home in East Hampton, New York. The granddaughter was only 2 years old.
The NORAD fighter jets caught up with the Cessna at around 3:20 pm, who reported that the Cessna was unresponsive to their hails. The business jet eventually crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. According to local police, no survivors were found onboard the downed jet. According to a statement from Virginia State Police, they were informed of a potential airplane crash in the Staunton/Blue Ridge Parkway area at 3:50 pm. "Search efforts are still underway by state and local law enforcement," a
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