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An IAI 1125 Astra SP jet (N1125A) crashed in rural Virginia on Saturday, killing all five people on board. The jet was landing at the Ingalls Field Airport (HSP) but ran short of the runway, hitting trees and crashing into a nearby hillside, causing a bushfire.
The Astra jet was flying from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) but its destination airport is unknown at the time of publication. Local CBS affiliate WDBJ reported that the pilot, copilot, two adults and one child were killed in the crash and police believe these five victims were the only occupants on the jet. Police told WDBJ that the jet landing at about 3 p.m. on Saturday when it ran short of the runway, hitting trees and crashing into the nearby hillside before bursting into flames and starting a brush fire. Emergency responders extinguished the flames shortly after. Photos show the mountainous Virginia terrain, a white plume of smoke filling the sky around the crash scene. Ingalls Field sits on top of Warm Springs Mountain at an elevation of 3,792 feet, serving Bath County in rural Virginia. The airport has a main runway that is 5,601 feet in length and 100 feet wide. WSLS reported strong winds over the weekend, with wind advisories and warnings throughout the region. Aviation Safety Network reported that at the time of the crash, winds were 19 knots at 280 degrees, gusting 38 knots. WSLS reported that it is unclear at this time whether the wind was a factor in the crash.
The NTSB is investigating the crash and a preliminary report can take two weeks to one month to be released. A final report will take one to two years and include a probable cause if one can be determined.UPDATE ON 3/12
While initial reports indicated that the plane was making an emergency landing, the NTSB told WFXR that there was no information to suggest there was an emergency declared by the flight crew and that HSP was the intended final destination. The investigator confirmed that winds were 20-40 mph at the time of the crash. The investigator also shared that the plane was not required to have a flight data recorder on board. Virginia State Police told WFXR that three of the five people were from Russia, India and Spain.The New York Post reported that the five people killed included the CEO of Atlantis Flight Academy in Florida, Aldredo Diez, and his wife Kseniia Snanina and their 3-year-old son Nicholas. The pilot and copilot were identified as Claudio Colmenares and Gagan Reddy.