Hypoxy Probably the cause of fatal Cessna crash crash

The pilot incapacity due to an inexplicable loss of cabin pressure was probably the cause of an accident of 2023 Cessna Citation 560 near Montebello, Virginia, in which, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), all four people were killed on board.

In its final report, the NTSB said that the jet left on June 4, 2023 Melbourne, Florida, a short stop in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to recharge and pick up passengers, and then continued towards his destination in Long Island, New York. During the climbing of 26,600 feet, the pilot communicated with air traffic control, but stopped reacting after he was instructed to align itself to 33,000 feet. The plane continued to rose to 34,000 feet and stayed on a autopilot for almost two hours.

After he had flown past his destination, the jet turned to the southwest and continued on a constant path until the US air weapons fighter jets caught him. The pilots reported that the pilot had sunk together in the cockpit and no longer reacted. No movement was observed in the cabin. Moments later, the plane entered a quick, spiral descent and fell into the mountain range, with a fragmented rubble field and evidence for a fire after the recording left behind.

Maintenance records showed several unresolved security problems, including a missing pilot sage mask and an almost exhausted, supplementary oxygen system. In a previous inspection, 26 discrepancies were found – the increased views of the aircraft and environmental systems of the aircraft – that were not treated before the flight. There was no evidence that the oxygen system was serviced or that the missing mask was replaced.

The pilot had diseases such as high blood pressure and have been prescribed medication, including phenter appointments and hydrocodone, that bear both FAA restrictions.

The investigators came to the conclusion that the hypoxia probably put the pilot and the passengers out of action after a failure of the cabin, although the exact cause of failure remains unknown.