WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A lack of oxygen likely incapacitated the pilot of a Cessna 560 in June 2023 that prompted the U.S. military to scramble F-16 fighter jets in a chase before the small plane crashed into the mountains of Virginia killing all four occupants, a final report said on Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is likely the pilot and three passengers during the climb to cruise altitude became incapacitated.
The board said it appeared the plane was on autopilot at the time when it crossed into restricted airspace around Washington.
Maintenance records raised questions about the issues around the pressurization and environmental control system weeks before the crash that the owner had declined to address.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)
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