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5 killed after plane crash at Ingalls Field Airport in Hot Springs
One of the passengers aboard the aircraft was reported to be a child.
Virginia State Police provided an update on a fatal small private jet crash in Bath County, which claimed the lives of five individuals.
Channel3 NOW has learned that the flight originated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a scheduled landing at Ingalls Field Airport. The passengers were reportedly heading to an event at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, according to the plane owner’s attorney and family friend.
Authorities stated that the Westwind Astra aircraft went down around 3 p.m. Sunday in a wooded area close to the 6200 block of Airport Rd.
Jeff Ford, chairman of the Bath County Airport Authority, informed that an onboard emergency led the plane to divert to Ingalls Field before the crash occurred, resulting in the aircraft being consumed by flames.
Police confirmed that among the five fatalities, one was the pilot, another was the co-pilot, and the remaining three were passengers, consisting of a man, a woman, and a young boy, estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old.
One victim identified as Charlie Waddell.
Currently, it’s uncertain if wind played a role in the incident.
Responding to the scene were the Bath County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, Hot Springs Fire and Rescue, Falling Springs Fire and Rescue, and Clifton Forge Fire and Rescue.
The Virginia State Police, Federal Aviation Administration, and NTSB are conducting inquiries into the crash.
Authorities have transported the remains to the Virginia Office of the Medical Examiner, Western District, for formal identification. Consequently, the airport has been shut down.
