The pilot of a small plane that the U.S. Air Force called on the scene near the U.S. capital Washington is said to have reportedly collapsed in his seat. The fighter pilots of the Air Force had observed, reported the broadcaster CNN on Monday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the incident.
The accident investigators are now investigating, among other things, 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 plane, which ultimately crashed in a sparsely populated area in the US state of Virginia – near Washington. No survivors were found.
On Sunday, U.S. military F-16 fighter jets took off to intercept the Cessna Citation small aircraft approaching the capital. The pilot had not previously reacted. Because the planes reached supersonic speeds, there was a loud bang that was heard in Washington and the adjacent states of Virginia and Maryland. According to the North American Air Defense Command Norad, the U.S. military had tried to contact the pilot of the Cessna with flares, among other things. However, he did not react. Many questions remained unanswered.