(Witness) Saw An Airplane Flying “On Its Left Side And On Fire In The Middle Of The Airplane.”

On May 5, 2024, about 0854 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell International 690A, N690BM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Palmyra, Virginia. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to preliminary air traffic control information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane was in cruise flight at 20,000 ft when it reversed course. The controller queried the pilot, who replied “We have lost…We need to climb.” When the controller asked the pilot “what is your issue?&rd