FBI investigates after private jet passenger dies during severe turbulence over New England, USA

The FBI is investigating after a business jet was hit by severe turbulence over New England, killing a passenger and forcing the plane to divert to Windsor Locks Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Connecticut.

Five people were on board the Bombardier Challenger 300 business jet which was rocked by turbulence late Friday afternoon as it was flying from Keene (EEN), New Hampshire, to Leesburg (LEE), Virginia, said Sarah Sulick, spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The extent of the damage to the plane was unclear and the NTSB did not provide details, including whether the victim was wearing a seatbelt.

The jet is owned by Conexon, a Kansas City-based telecommunications company. The company, which brings high-speed internet to rural communities, declined to comment on Saturday.

NTSB investigators were interviewing the two crew members and surviving passengers as part of an investigation into the fatal turbulence encounter, Sulick said. “NTSB investigators have removed the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder and are continuing to gather information from the flight crew, operator and passengers about the circumstances of the event,” she added.

Bradley International is about 70 miles from Keene, New Hampshire, where the plane took off.

Turbulence, which is unstable air in the atmosphere, remains a cause of injury to airline passengers despite airline safety improvements over the years. But deaths are extremely rare. A preliminary report will be published in two weeks.