PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (AP) - A loud boom that rattled the Shore earlier this week left dozens wondering what it could possibly have been.
Well, mystery solved. Patuxent Naval Air Station spokesman Pat Gordon tells Salisbury The Daily Times that people probably heard and felt the Navy conducting flight testing for supersonic aircraft Wednesday afternoon.
Gordon says a restricted airspace that serves as a "test track" for the craft runs parallel to the Delmarva Peninsula.
To minimize its impact on people and surrounding areas, the tests are done miles offshore and require special permission before any aircraft can break the sound barrier. Permission was given to go supersonic sometime between 4:30 and 5 p.m.
Gordon says the testing only sounds and feels catastrophic due to certain weather conditions, which can amplify the sound.
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Sonic Boom Shakes Delmarva
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