5 killed as private jet crashes, bursts into flames during emergency landing in Virginia
The small aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing, killing all five aboard, including a child
All five passengers aboard a private jet were killed during a failed emergency landing on Sunday. The twin-engine IAI Astra 1125 crashed and burst into flames near a small airport in rural Virginia. The victims included the pilot, three adults, and a child, the Virginia State Police said in a statement. Their identities haven't been revealed yet.
The deadly crash occurred at around 3 pm local time near Ingalls Field Airport in Bath County's Hot Springs area, which is about 160 miles northwest of Richmond, per the Associated Press.
A spokesman for the state police revealed that the plane caught fire upon impact. Sergeant Rick Garletts stated in an email on Sunday evening that investigators were working to confirm the plane's origin and destination. The crash site was small, and everything was burnt, making the tail numbers unidentifiable.
The state police were working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to try to identify the flight details and the occupants, Garletts added, per the outlet.
A statement by the FAA statement provided no preliminary information on the circumstances of the crash but revealed that the agency and the NTSB are investigating the accident.
According to Jeff Ford, the chairman of the Airport Authority, the plane involved in the crash did not belong to Bath County. Officials suspect that the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing, but the plane ran short of the runway and ultimately crashed into a nearby hillside. It is reported that the plane hit several trees before the crash occurred.
Hot Springs Fire and Rescue, Falling Spring Fire Department, and Clifton Forge Fire and Rescue crews shortly extinguished the fire, the outlet further adds. As the investigation is underway, all Route 703 roads near the airport will remain closed until further notice.