Chilling audio captured the terrifying last seconds of a 23-year-old flight instructor after a student pilot lost control of the plane and crashed only moments after takeoff.
The tragedy happened in October 2022 when 23-year-old flight instructor Viktoria Ljungman died after a student pilot lost control of a small aircraft departing from Newport News-Williamsburg Airport in Virginia.
In a statement shared with People, Virginia State Police said that 18-year-old student pilot Oluwagbohunmi “Bo” Oyebode “attempted to pull the aircraft up at too steep of an angle,” causing the plane to stall roughly 100 feet above the ground before plunging back down.
Ljungman died at the scene, while Bo and another 18-year-old passenger suffered life-threatening injuries and were rushed to Riverside Regional Medical Center. Both were later released.
The aircraft involved was a single-engine Cessna 172, a plane commonly used for flight training.
‘Now you got your real wings’
Ljungman, a native of Sweden, frequently shared photos and videos from her flights on social media, documenting her travels and passion for aviation. After her death, her Instagram page transformed into a memorial filled with messages from grieving friends, classmates, and loved ones.
“The sweetest soul I met at Hampton,” one person wrote. “Not exaggerating at all.”
A second netizen shared: “I am so sorry for your loved ones, and I pray your next journey is one of peace and light. Keep flying.”
“Now you got your real wings. Have a good flight and journey well,” added another.
A post shared months before the crash showed Ljungman proudly announcing that she had become a certified flight instructor in April 2022.
As friends and loved ones continued mourning the young instructor’s death, investigators worked to piece together the final moments of the flight and determine exactly what went wrong in the seconds after takeoff.
‘Thing went dark’
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later launched a full investigation into the crash.
According to preliminary findings, investigators determined the aircraft lifted off in an unusually steep nose-up position before entering an aerodynamic stall.
In a June 2023 interview with the NTSB, Bo said he recalled the craft was “stalling,” and noticed “the nose of the airplane ‘was really high’” while “the back of the airplane was low. He did not recall hearing the stall horn.”
Around this time, he also revealed that he heard Ljungman “yelling” and “screaming,” although he could not recall what she was saying.
Then, Bo – whose friend Ashton was seated behind him in the aircraft – told the NTSB that “things ‘went dark’ and he ‘blacked out.’”
As of 2026, no publicly released final NTSB report appears to have confirmed an official probable cause beyond the preliminary findings already disclosed.
Final moments before the crash
Interest in the case surged again in 2025 after clips of the air traffic control audio started circulating widely across social media and news platforms.
The haunting recording, captured by LiveATC and shared by the New York Post, is believed to contain Ljungman’s final communication with the control tower before the crash.
In the audio, she calmly acknowledges departure instructions after receiving clearance for takeoff.
“Cleared for takeoff, 97883. Caution, wake turbulence,” Ljungman can be heard in the transmission. N97883 refers to the number on the tail of the aircraft.
Only moments later, panic erupted over the radio.
“We got a crash!” a frantic voice suddenly shouted.
The controller immediately attempted to reach the aircraft: “883, are you OK?”
When there was no response, he asked: “Are you on this frequency?”
But only silence followed.
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