Preliminary report released on Cessna jet crash in Virginia

On June 4, about 3:32 p.m. EDT, a Cessna Citation 560 jet (registration N611VG), was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Montebello, Va., killing a pilot and three passengers onboard. On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report detailing the plane’s flight that day.

According to the NTSB report, the Cessna Citation jet departed Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee at 1:13 p.m. EDT on June 4 destined for Long Island Mac Arthur Airport in New York. A single pilot and three passengers were aboard the plane.

A review of preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control audio recordings revealed that the pilot contacted the Atlanta Center controllers shortly after takeoff, and reported climbing through 9,300 feet to 10,000 ft. The controller then subsequently cleared the flight to flight level 230 (23,000 ft) and the pilot read back the clearance.

At 1:22 p.m. EDT, the pilot was handed off to another controller with Atlanta Center. The pilot subsequently contacted the controller, advising that the airplane was maintaining flight level 230 (23,000 ft). The controller cleared the flight to flight level 290 (29,000 ft) and the pilot read back the clearance.

At 1:25 p.m. EDT, the controller cleared the airplane to flight level 340 (34,000 ft) and the pilot readback the clearance. At this time the airplane was about 28,000 ft.

At 1:28 p.m. EDT, the controller amended the prior altitude clearance, instructing the pilot to stop the climb at 33,000 ft for crossing air traffic. The pilot did not respond to the amended clearance, the airplane continued the climb to 34,000 ft and leveled off. No further radio transmissions from the pilot were received for the remainder of the flight, despite repeated attempts to contact the pilot.

The Cessna jet arrived over Long Island Mac Arthur Airport at 2:32 p.m. EDT at 34,000 feet. After passing over the airport, the aircraft made a 180-degree turn and continued to fly without responding to air traffic controllers.

According to a North American Aerospace Defense Command statement, at about 3:20 p.m. EDT the airplane was intercepted by U.S. fighter aircraft. The pilot was unresponsive to several radio transmissions, intercept flight maneuvers, and flares dropped by the fighters.

The plane then entered a rapidly descending right spiral descent into the terrain at 3:22 p.m. EDT. The aircraft impacted mountainous and forested terrain a short distance from where the spiraling descent was observed.

During the examination of the terrain, trees, and wreckage found at the accident site, “all were consistent with a high velocity, near vertical descent,” the NTSB said in their report. “The wreckage was extremely fragmented, scattered around a main crater, and evidence of a post-impact fire was observed.”

According to recent maintenance inspection records, the airplane, as of May 2023, was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR), however, at the time of this publication, a CVR had not been located.

The airplane was owned and operated by Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc. in Florida.

The wreckage was recovered from the accident site and retained for further examination. A final report will be issued in the future. 

Aircraft leasing company Avolon orders 40 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes

International aircraft leasing company Avolon has ordered 40 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes. Boeing announced the order at this week’s Paris Air Show.

"We are confident in the long-term demand from our customers for the 737 MAX, and this order extends our delivery pipeline out to 2030," said Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon. "The transitioning of the global fleet to more fuel-efficient new-technology aircraft is a priority for our industry, and we are looking to play a leading role by supporting airlines achieving their sustainability objectives."

The 737 MAX will provide Avolon's customers with greater flexibility across their network while reducing fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to the airplanes they replace. Each airplane will save up to 8 million pounds of CO₂ annually compared to the airplanes it replaces.

Boeing officials said the order demonstrates the popularity of the 737-8 aircraft.

"Avolon has a long-standing relationship with the 737 MAX program and took delivery of the 1,000^th 737 MAX last year,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We look forward to building on this strong relationship with a key leasing partner as they grow their Boeing portfolio of airplanes."

This order was previously unidentified on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website.

The 737-8 model, seating 162 to 210 passengers depending on configuration and with a range of 3,500 nautical miles, is the market's most versatile single-aisle airplane, capable of operating profitably on short and medium-haul routes.

Boeing customers have placed more than 1,000 orders and commitments for the company's new commercial airplanes since July 2022. This includes over 750 737 MAX airplanes, reflecting the value of the family's versatility and commonality.

Air India finalizes order for up to 290 Boeing jets

Boeing and Air India announced Tuesday they have finalized an order for up to 290 new Boeing jets and expanded services. The two companies held a signing ceremony at this week’s 2023 Paris Air Show to celebrate the historic purchase of Boeing's market-leading single-aisle and widebody jets to renew and expand Air India's fleet.

The order, which includes 190 737 MAXs, 20 787 Dreamliners and 10 777X jets with options for 50 737 MAXs and 20 787 Dreamliners, is Boeing's largest order in South Asia.

A comprehensive set of aviation services will also enable Air India to sustainably expand its operations in South Asia's rapidly growing aviation market. Over the next 20 years, South Asia is expected to more than triple its in-service fleet from 700 to 2,300 airplanes to meet passenger demand.

The companies announced in February that Air India had selected these Boeing models to serve its strategy for sustainable growth.