Overview

• The NTSB concluded that hypoxia, caused by cabin depressurization, incapacitated the pilot and passengers of the Cessna Citation that crashed in June 2023.
• Investigators identified 31 unresolved maintenance issues, including pressurization system defects and missing oxygen equipment, as contributing factors.
• The decision to operate the jet without adequate supplemental oxygen further exacerbated the risks, according to the report.
• The crash claimed the lives of pilot Jeff Hefner, a retired airline captain, and three passengers, including the owner’s daughter and granddaughter.
• Military F-16 fighter jets intercepted the unresponsive plane over Washington, D.C., but observed no movement in the cockpit or cabin before it crashed in Virginia.