A small private jet crashed in rural Virginia on 10 March, killing five people.
The twin-engine Gulfstream G100 was on short approach to Ingalls Field airport outside of Hot Springs, Virginia when it struck several trees and crashed into a hillside at roughly 15:00 local time, according to Virginia State Police.
The aircraft caught fire on impact. All of its occupants – three passengers and two pilots – were killed.
Images were shared on social media of firefighters working amid the wreckage as white smoke rises from a scorched wooded area. Area weather conditions were overcast and windy at the time of the accident, according to the National Weather Service.
Cirium fleets data show that more than 120 Gulfstream G100s are in service – some nearly 40 years old. Formerly known as the IAI Astra SPX, the type was first delivered in 1986.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the accident investigation.
“Our deepest condolences are with the individuals who lost their lives and their families. Gulfstream is fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board as they determine what caused the accident,” says Savannah-based Gulfstream.
