Mid-Atlantic MilAir 2023

[hrspotter]

Although the altitude doesn't change, this might be it. It takes off from Elethabethton, goes to Long Island, turns around and heads back where it disappears over Virginia. Strange.View attachment 143100


View attachment 143098View attachment 143099

N611VG is the one. ADSBExchange shows that at its last broadcast point it was going down at a rate of -28864 ft/minute - about 285 knots. It was on autopilot, completely overflew its destination (KISP) directly over the airport, never descended, turned around direct to its origin airport (K0A9), violated SFRA/FRZ airspace, got intercepted, then at 1522 local, deviated from its straight vector back to K0A9 Elizabethton and began descending in a right spiral.

It rapidly loses speed from 400-158 knots from 30k to 20k feet, then at exactly 20k at 1523 local, it rapidly gains speed from 158-469 at 14k, gradually loses speed until contact is lost. Final transmission was 344 kts, 9650 ft, 1523:36 local. Aviation Safety Network lists number of pax at 4: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/314788

It seems like the autopilot was the only one flying the aircraft at that point, given the changes in behavior at exactly FL300 and FL200, the exact overfly of the destination airport, the exact vector back to the origin airport, and the constant altitude maintained the entire time. Maybe in-flight medical emergency, pilot becomes incapacitated, no copilot, then plane runs out of fuel? FAA Exemption No. 18643 shows that the 560 can be flown single pilot with an authorization course.

 

[CapStar362]

N611VG is the one. ADSBExchange shows that at its last broadcast point it was going down at a rate of -28864 ft/minute - about 285 knots. It was on autopilot, completely overflew its destination (KISP) directly over the airport, never descended, turned around direct to its origin airport (K0A9), violated SFRA/FRZ airspace, got intercepted, then at 1522 local, deviated from its straight vector back to K0A9 Elizabethton and began descending in a right spiral.

It rapidly loses speed from 400-158 knots from 30k to 20k feet, then at exactly 20k at 1523 local, it rapidly gains speed from 158-469 at 14k, gradually loses speed until contact is lost. Final transmission was 344 kts, 9650 ft, 1523:36 local. Aviation Safety Network lists number of pax at 4: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/314788

It seems like the autopilot was the only one flying the aircraft at that point, given the changes in behavior at exactly FL300 and FL200, the exact overfly of the destination airport, the exact vector back to the origin airport, and the constant altitude maintained the entire time. Maybe in-flight medical emergency, pilot becomes incapacitated, no copilot, then plane runs out of fuel? FAA Exemption No. 18643 shows that the 560 can be flown single pilot with an authorization course.

FYI: D.C. SFRA is topped at 17999. he was at 34000 when he overflew P-56B (Naval Observatory) and D.C. SFRA. So no he did not actually violate the airspace. Because of their incapacitation, when they crossed from ZDC to ZNY airspace at high levels but then immediately crossed back into ZDC airspace, they attempted to contact him to ascertain their status. after numerous attempts, the Alarm was raised since they were flying on a direct course to the SFRA. so by FAR the only thing violated was ARTCC Contact. You cant violate airspace if you are physically not within it, including altitude.

https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/restricted-airspace-0

P-56A is the National Mall, P-56B is the Naval Observatory. Both are listed as SFC/180 ( Surface to 17999 Feet ) for height along with DC SFRA.

This is straight from the VFR Sectional Charts for the D.C. Area. Read the first paragraph, noting the sentence: "Specifically, the DC SFRA is that airspace from the surface ( 'SFC' on charts ) to but not including FL180. ( 18,000 Feet ) "

 

[frank3si]

I’m in Pasadena about 2 miles from the bay and I can tell you it was extremely loud and shook the house hard. Thought it was an explosion and ran outside to see if anyone needed help. I’d equate it to a direct lightning hit in the backyard, maybe a little stronger.

Interested to hear these reports of how intense the boom sounded. I covered space shuttle landings and we always knew the orbiter was near the runway facility at Kennedy Space Center when we got a double sonic boom, but it wasn't frightening loud - just a good, solid whomp! I don't know the answer to this, but I wonder if the volume of sonic booms is a variable thing depending upon atmospheric parameters, object velocity, or other considerations?

 

[frank3si]

Just wondering in these new aircraft auto pilot computers if no manual pilot input info near their destination does aircraft execute automatic rtb departure base return like this aircraft seemed to do.. Almost like a drone acting on lost input.

This is a very interesting topic. I see it flew directly over me at one point, after it turned around and headed back southwest

 

[Naranja4]

Just wondering in these new aircraft auto pilot computers if no manual pilot input info near their destination does aircraft execute automatic rtb departure base return like this aircraft seemed to do.. Almost like a drone acting on lost input.

While some new aircraft are starting to have systems that can execute safe descents to landing (example being Cirrus' Vision Jet's Safe Return feature), they don't work in this manner. At least with Safe Return, it requires someone, likely a passenger, to hit a button and it will land at the nearest suitable airport.

What happened with this incident is the aircraft was executing the flight plan they were cleared, which was CCC (Calverton VOR) direct to KISP (Islip airport). Because they were still at 34,000 feet on autopilot, when the aircraft got to KISP, the track just extended from that point and it kept flying that track of CCC direct KISP, roughly a 250 degree heading, until it ran out of fuel on that track (or was shot down depending on what you believe).

While it does appear from first glance at the FlightRadar24 track that it was executing an RTB, that is purely coincidence. If you actually draw a straight line off its southwest track, it extends to just east of the departure airport rather than direct to it.

With the assumption that it crashed due to fuel exhaustion, I would assume the autopilot tried to maintain 34,000 feet despite the engines no longer providing power and the aircraft stalled itself into a dive. The time at which it crashed puts it around the legally required minimum fuel for that flight.

 

[C4talyst]

I’m in Pasadena about 2 miles from the bay and I can tell you it was extremely loud and shook the house hard. Thought it was an explosion and ran outside to see if anyone needed help. I’d equate it to a direct lightning hit in the backyard, maybe a little stronger.

I'm in Woodbridge and my property borders Quantico. Their artillery shakes the house at times. Today's boom dwarfed their exercises; haven't felt the house shake like that since the 2011 earthquake.

 

[JetWash]

Wondering if anybody has a plotting of the flight path and altitude of the DC ANG F16s on their way to the intercept.
Same for the NJ ANG from ACY Atlantic City. NORAD's statement said the intercept was about 320PM; the sonic boom was at 309PM.

Trying to get an idea of the relationship between the F16s location at the time of the sonic boom compared to its loudness at my location.
I too covered two space shuttle returns at the Kennedy Space Center and heard a double sonic "thump" as the shuttle was overhead at 80,000 feet on its return, but this was definitely a louder single BOOM rather than a THUMP. Thanks!

 

[Mark]

Maryland A-10's and some Michigan A-10's up at Gander airport yesterday.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1665518267656548353

Sec of Def now in New Delhi working way Westbound from Asia trip on the E-4B #73-1676.
Next stop shows to Paris at Charles De Gaulle airport.

 

[screenersam]

See my above post. Seems there was a Alert Scramble near DC area. and Atlantic City F-16 COSMIC said he did
go supersonic over the Bay. Not sure if this was exercise or real deal. Sounded real to me
Last heard they are still holding with Guard Dog on 350.250 but real weak coms here.

I want to clarify; was the boom part of the exercise? or was this caused by the pursuit?

 

[fredva]

I want to clarify; was the boom part of the exercise? or was this caused by the pursuit?

Pursuit of the unresponsive aircraft. Early on, when info was limited, it would have been hard to know for sure.

 

[paradiver]

Pursuit of the unresponsive aircraft. Early on, when info was limited, it would have been hard to know for sure.

Guard Dogs exercising that afterburner! There is an embeded ring cam video in the article:

Washington DC area 'explosion' sound caused by military jets pursuing unresponsive plane before deadly crash

A loud explosion sound heard across the Washington, D.C. area and points east and west was caused by two military jets breaking the sound barrier in pursuit of a Cessna Citation.

www.foxnews.com

 

[AirScan]

Wondering if anybody has a plotting of the flight path and altitude of the DC ANG F16s on their way to the intercept.

I don't have a plot but here is the LiveATC audio of ATC working the initial departure. Time is from initial contact with departure at 1457 EDT to the handoff to 307.025 at 1502 EDT. Unfortunately the LiveATC archives appear to be missing after 1502 EDT from the other ATC frequencies involved during the time of the event.

LiveATC Audio BRAVE 01 initial departure

 

[KX4KDH]

I don't have a plot but here is the LiveATC audio of ATC working the initial departure. Time is from initial contact with departure at 1457 EDT to the handoff to 307.025 at 1502 EDT. Unfortunately the LiveATC archives appear to be missing after 1502 EDT from the other ATC frequencies involved during the time of the event.

LiveATC Audio BRAVE 01 initial departure

I'd love to hear the audio of BRAVE 01 Trying to make contact with N611VG, but the only source I have seen is on Twitter, and that is blocked at my work.

 

[AirScan]

I'd love to hear the audio of BRAVE 01 Trying to make contact with N611VG

Quality is poor but this is all I can find so far. First call is at 1504 EDT and the second is at 1512 EDT.

LiveATC Audio BRAVE calling N611VG on 121.500

 

[TerryPavlick]

Wondering if anybody has a plotting of the flight path and altitude of the DC ANG F16s on their way to the intercept.
Same for the NJ ANG from ACY Atlantic City. NORAD's statement said the intercept was about 320PM; the sonic boom was at 309PM.

Trying to get an idea of the relationship between the F16s location at the time of the sonic boom compared to its loudness at my location.
I too covered two space shuttle returns at the Kennedy Space Center and heard a double sonic "thump" as the shuttle was overhead at 80,000 feet on its return, but this was definitely a louder single BOOM rather than a THUMP. Thanks!

Your answer clearly explains why the sound of the sonic boom was louder than the space shuttle. When the shuttle it was much farther away and higher up. The F16 (even at 25K for example) would be much closer and unexpected to the normal person. Shuttle landings were usually well publised and there was at least some advance notice of the boom. With this intercept and the attempt to reach the target - no warning was possible.

 

[fLyer720]

Your answer clearly explains why the sound of the sonic boom was louder than the space shuttle. When the shuttle it was much farther away and higher up. The F16 (even at 25K for example) would be much closer and unexpected to the normal person. Shuttle landings were usually well publised and there was at least some advance notice of the boom. With this intercept and the attempt to reach the target - no warning was possible.

Sonic booms are also constant along the path of the aircraft as long as it is supersonic, it is not just one "boom". If you were able to follow the aircraft, you would keep hearing them.

 

[RaleighGuy]

WEEK AHEAD GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 5, 2023 – JUNE 9, 2023

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Vice President is in Washington, DC and has no public events scheduled.
On Tuesday, June 6, the Vice President will travel to Philadelphia, PA
On Thursday, June 8, the Vice President will travel to Nassau, The Bahamas.

 

[trailguy_84]

It looks like the plane crashed in the Saint Mary's Wilderness Area southeast of Cellar Mountain in Augusta County. Can't find any GPS coordinates yet.

 

[frank3si]

WEEK AHEAD GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 5, 2023 – JUNE 9, 2023

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Vice President is in Washington, DC and has no public events scheduled.
On Tuesday, June 6, the Vice President will travel to Philadelphia, PA
On Thursday, June 8, the Vice President will travel to Nassau, The Bahamas.

Looks like C-17 VINYL46 is now landing in Philadelphia, with support gear (my assumption ).

 

[RaleighGuy]

It looks like the plane crashed in the Saint Mary's Wilderness Area southeast of Cellar Mountain in Augusta County. Can't find any GPS coordinates yet.

Maybe you should read through this thread, many posts talk about this all afternoon and evening yesterday.