Sonic boom startles Oregon as earthquakes rumble off the coast. What was it?
A sonic boom shook communities along the Oregon coastline this week, startling residents after a recent swarm of earthquakes off the coast.
But the 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard told the public not to worry about the loud boom that occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 14.
The sonic boom was a mistake during a training flight around 1:30 p.m., the agency posted on Facebook.
It happened more than 15 miles away from land.
“We understand that this caused concern from our coastal residents and for that we sincerely apologize. We can assure you though, our Wing competently continues to protect the Pacific Northwest and this Great Nation!” the agency said.
Sonic booms happen when an object moves faster than sound at about 750 mph. The aircraft off the Oregon coast inadvertently flew at supersonic speeds, which caused a thunder-like boom.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Sonic boom startles Oregon as earthquakes rumble off the coast. What was it?."
