Alabama

Mystery Boom Rattles Alabama Windows
Birmingham News, April 12, 1999

Officials are still at a loss to explain the big boom heard Friday afternoon [April 9] in at least five central and east Alabama counties. The boom at around 2 p.m. reportedly rattled windows and startled residents throughout the area. Geological officials ruled out an earthquake and area officials said there were no reports of fires, injuries or anything blowing up. Saturday, an official with the FAA in Atlanta said that office received no complaints or calls about a sonic boom from any aircraft. There are spots in Alabama where military aircraft can fly faster than the speed of sound (which would cause a sonic boom), but the closest area to the reported boom would be in south Alabama near Dothan, an FAA supervisor said.