A tragic incident unfolded as a private plane crashed in rugged Virginia terrain, resulting in the loss of all four individuals on board.

According to an official, fighter pilots were dispatched to intercept the aircraft as it flew over Washington, D.C., and they noticed the pilot slumped over in the cockpit, NBC News reported.

The Cessna aircraft departed from Elizabethton, Tennessee, at 1:13 p.m. ET. Air traffic controllers made radio contact at 1:28 p.m., requesting the plane to halt its ascent at an altitude of 33,000 feet, as relayed by a senior government official to NBC News.

The aircraft, originally bound for Long Island in a northeastern direction, altered its course near New York City and started heading back south.

Fighter jets from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland were dispatched to investigate the situation, and they observed the pilot slumped over in the cockpit, according to the official.

With the pilot incapacitated and no communication established with air traffic controllers during the final two hours, the plane eventually depleted its fuel reserves, as reported by NBC News.

As a result, the crash occurred near Montebello, Virginia, precisely at 3:32 p.m. A distressing silence prevailed during the plane’s descent, with no communication established with air traffic controllers throughout the duration.

Written by staff