Pilot incapacitation due to an unexplained loss of cabin pressure was likely the cause of a 2023 Cessna Citation 560 crash near Montebello, Virginia, that killed all four people on board, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
In its final report, the NTSB stated that the jet departed Melbourne, Florida, on June 4, 2023, made a brief stop in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to refuel and pick up passengers, and then continued toward its destination in Long Island, New York. While climbing through 26,600 feet, the pilot communicated with air traffic control but stopped responding after being instructed to level off at 33,000 feet. The aircraft continued climbing to 34,000 feet and remained on autopilot for nearly two hours.
After flying past its destination, the jet turned southwest and continued on a steady path until U.S. Air Force fighter jets intercepted it. Pilots reported seeing the pilot slumped over in the cockpit and unresponsive. No movement was observed in the cabin. Moments later, the aircraft entered a rapid, spiraling descent and crashed into mountainous terrain, leaving behind a fragmented debris field and evidence of a post-impact fire.
Maintenance records revealed multiple unresolved safety issues, including a missing pilot oxygen mask and a nearly depleted supplemental oxygen system. A prior inspection had identified 26 discrepancies—several involving the aircraft’s pressurization and environmental systems—that were not addressed before the flight. There was no evidence the oxygen system had been serviced or the missing mask replaced.
The pilot had medical conditions such as high blood pressure and was prescribed medications, including phentermine and hydrocodone, both of which carry FAA restrictions.
Investigators concluded that hypoxia likely incapacitated the pilot and passengers following a cabin pressurization failure, though the exact cause of the failure remains unknown.
