Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are heading to the scene of a plane crash in western Virginia. Officials say they are in the "fact finding" part of the investigation.
The plane's trajectory led to a Sunday afternoon of frenzied speculation in the Washington, D.C., area, particularly on social media. Residents reported hearing a large boom, which turned out to be F-16 fighter jets that were scrambled to pursue the flight and went supersonic in the process.
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The crash site is in a difficult position for investigators, with the NTSB saying the area is "heavily wooded and rural terrain."
"Investigators have to hike to the wreckage, which is in heavily wooded and rural terrain," an NTSB spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
NTSB investigator-in-charge Adam Gerhardt said at a press briefing on Monday that the NTSB is considering all factors at this stage of the investigation.
"This NTSB safety investigation, basically, everything is on the table until we slowly and methodically remove different components and elements that will be relevant for this safety investigation: the airplane, the engines, the weather conditions, pilot qualifications, the maintenance records, all aspects will be items that we routinely look," Gerhardt said.
"We expect to be here for at least three to four days but will be here as long as it takes, of course. This will be a very challenging accident site. The wreckage will be recovered to a secure facility in Delaware where it will be, perhaps, helicoptered from the rural terrain," he continued.
Gerhardt also said that a preliminary report will be issued within 10 days, which will include details from their findings at the scene of the crash. He also stated that the plane was not required to have a black box, or flight recorder, but there may have been one on board.
First responders to the scene of the crash on Sunday described the impact site as having left a "crater" and said there were few recognizable pieces of the destroyed plane, according to CNN.
The NTSB previously confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the Cessna 560 airplane crashed at about 3:30 p.m. local time Sunday near Montebello, Virginia. The plane was "unresponsive to Air Traffic Control communications" and "overflew its destination of Long Island MacArthur Airport" in New York, according to the NTSB.
The Federal Aviation Administration's initial accident report showed that all four people on board the plane, including the pilot and three passengers, were killed in the crash. The plane flew through a no-fly zone when it passed through D.C., leading NORAD to scramble F-16 fighter aircraft.
NORAD confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the F-16s were "authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region." NORAD also said it used flares during the encounter.
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"During this event, the NORAD aircraft also used flares — which may have been visible to the public — in an attempt to draw attention from the pilot. Flares are employed with highest regard for safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground. Flares burn out quickly and completely and there is no danger to the people on the ground when dispensed," NORAD said in a statement on Sunday.
After reports started circulating of a loud boom across the Washington, D.C., area, officials in the region had assured the public there was "no threat" on Sunday before details regarding the off-course plane were revealed.