CNN

Pilot of unresponsive private jet that crashed and killed 4 was seen slumped over, source says

Jun 6, 2023, 5:00 AM

Search and rescue teams assemble before going to the site of Sunday's plane crash near Montebello, ...

Search and rescue teams assemble before going to the site of Sunday's plane crash near Montebello, Virginia. Photo credit: Randall K. Wolf via AP

(CNN) — The pilot of the unresponsive private jet that triggered an interception by supersonic military fighter jets protecting Washington, DC, was observed slumped over in his seat, a source familiar with the response told CNN.

The lone pilot and three passengers were aboard the Cessna Citation that crashed in a heavily wooded area near Waynesboro, Virginia, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday. There were no survivors, authorities said.

Another source told CNN that crash investigators are most interested in hypoxia – a shortage of oxygen in the blood – as a reason why the pilot and passengers didn’t respond to attempts by air traffic controllers and even other civilian aircraft to contact the ill-fated plane.

Hypoxia is an insidious risk of flying at high altitude and could have been brought on by a decompression of the jet’s pressurized cabin, aviation experts say. The flight was cruising from East Tennessee to Long Island, New York, at 34,000 feet, an altitude where pilots have 30 to 60 seconds to don oxygen masks when pressure drops or risk falling unconscious.

When F-16s reached the Cessna 560 Citation V around 3:20 p.m., the jet pilots set off flares in an effort to get the pilot’s attention, a Sunday news release from the Continental US North American Aerospace Defense Command Region said.

“The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia,” the release said. “NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed.”

The FAA lost contact with the jet just 15 minutes after it took off, according to a statement from the agency and data from air travel tracking website FlightAware.

Approximately eight minutes after losing contact, the agency contacted the “Domestic Events Network” that consists of the military, national security, homeland security and other law enforcement agencies, according to the FAA statement.

The civilian aircraft flew from Elizabethton, Tennessee, past its destination – New York’s Long Island MacArthur Airport – and turned back before eventually crashing in Virginia on Sunday afternoon, according to NORAD and LiveATC.net.

In addition to the F-16s, air traffic controllers and other civilian pilots frantically tried to contact the unresponsive crew of the jet by radio as it flew toward Washington, DC, at 34,000 feet, audio from LiveATC.net revealed.

Key to investigators, a source familiar with the investigation says, is the function of the plane’s autopilot. The flight turned around and kept flying for more than 300 miles before crashing in rural Virginia.

First responders reached the crash site around 8 p.m. Sunday night, state police spokesperson Corinne Geller confirmed. Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith said Monday that “extremely steep” and rough terrain made it difficult to get to the site, which was at the top of a mountain about 1.5 miles from a road.

Near the rugged scene Monday, National Transportation Safety Board investigator in charge Adam Gerhardt told reporters the agency’s probe will ask: “When exactly did the pilot become unresponsive? And why did the airplane fly the flight track that it did fly?”

Report: Plane’s passengers were a woman, her toddler and nanny

John Rumpel, whose family company owned the wrecked aircraft, told the Washington Post that his daughter Adina Azarian, and 2-year-old granddaughter, Aria Azarian, were among the three passengers and pilot that died in the crash.

Rumpel also identified the pilot as Jeff Hefner, according to the report.

The private aircraft was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, Inc., a company based in Florida, according to FAA records.

John Rumpel, whose wife Barbara is listed as the president of the company, told CNN Sunday night they own Encore. The husband confirmed Barbara Rumpel is safe but declined to comment further.

John Rumpel told the Post that he received a call from the FAA about 90 minutes after dropping his daughter, granddaughter and their nanny at a Tennessee airport, where they were headed home to East Hampton, N.Y.

The FAA asked Rumpel if he knew how to contact the plane, the Post reports.

“My family is gone, my daughter and granddaughter,” Barbara Rumpel wrote in response to a post on her Facebook profile in which others were asking if she was on the plane.

Hefner’s previous employer, the head of a law firm where Hefner worked as a flight captain, said the pilot is survived by his wife and three children.

Hefner was “a highly accomplished and skilled Aviator, he flew 25 years with as a Captain with Southwest Airlines and had over 25,000 flight hours,” attorney Dan Newlin told CNN in a statement. He added, “After retiring from Southwest Airlines, Jeff went on to be certified as a Captain in numerous private aircraft.”

Investigators sift through wreckage

The Cessna left a “crater” in the ground and few clues as to why it went down, officials said Monday.

Four first responders, who spoke on the condition they were not identified, described a grisly scene at the crash site.

There were perhaps four recognizable pieces of wreckage from the plane, which they believe impacted the ground at a very steep angle, they said. “There was nothing really bigger than your arm,” said one.

They also found signs of human remains.

NTSB officials will spend the next few days processing evidence at the crash site, before the wreckage is helicoptered to a secure facility in Delaware, Gerhardt told reporters Monday.

The plane was not required to carry “black boxes,” devices used to record flight data, but investigators will still search for them in hopes that they were installed.

Gerhardt said at this very early stage in the investigation, “basically everything is on the table,” when it comes to determining the cause.

Plane flew over US capital area

It’s unclear whether the private aircraft entered restricted airspace.

The US Capitol complex was placed on an “elevated alert” when the plane flew near the area on Sunday afternoon, US Capitol Police said in a statement.

Six F-16s launched from three bases, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Monday. Two jets from Joint Base Andrews were first to intercept the private plane, he said.

The F-16 jets were “authorized to travel at supersonic speeds” as they raced to make contact with the aircraft, according to the Continental US North American Aerospace Defense Command Region news release.

The extraordinary speed caused a sonic boom across the Washington, DC, area, officials said. That means the jets were traveling faster than the speed of sound, creating shock waves that caused a sudden and resounding boom, startling some residents on the ground.

President Joe Biden was golfing at the Andrews Air Force Base golf course near Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews when the boom resounded through Washington. The US Secret Service said it did not alter its posture for keeping President Biden secure after the fighter jets were scrambled.

The president was briefed on the incident, according to a White House official.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

CNN

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

11 hours ago

Doughnuts are displayed for sale at a Krispy Kreme store on February 13, in Austin, Texas. Krispy K...

Ramishah Maruf, CNN

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s

The Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be available nationwide at participating restaurants by the end of 2026, after a phased rollout beginning later this year.

1 day ago

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok for its data and security practices, two sourc...

Brian Fung and Samantha Delouya, CNN

FTC investigating TikTok over privacy and security

The probe is yet another complication for the social media platform. It's already facing the threat of a potential US ban or a forced divestment from its Chinese parent company.

1 day ago

A hand holds a tablet stamped with "MF," standing for mifepristone....

CNN

Study shows how self-managed abortion became more common, as Supreme Court abortion drug hearing looms

Medication abortion has become increasingly common since it first became available in the United States two decades ago.

2 days ago

People place flowers at a memorial outside Crocus City Hall in Moscow on Sunday following Friday's ...

Sophie Tanno, Eve Brennan, Anna Chernova and Darya Tarasova, CNN

Thousands gather in Russia to mourn victims of concert hall attack

Russia on Sunday held a day of mourning after at least 137 people were killed in a terrorist attack on a concert venue in Moscow.

3 days ago

Demonstrators call for the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas during a protest in Tel ...

Abel Alvarado, Ami Kaufman, Mostafa Salem and Becky Anderson, CNN

Israel agrees to US proposal on prisoner-hostage exchange and is awaiting Hamas’ response, CNN analyst says

Israel has agreed to a US proposal on a prisoner-hostage exchange that would release around 700 Palestinian prisoners.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Pilot of unresponsive private jet that crashed and killed 4 was seen slumped over, source says