Flight Instructor’s Final Words Captured Before Student Pilot Crashes Plane

What began as a routine flight training session ended in unimaginable tragedy when 23-year-old Viktoria Theresie Izabelle Ljungman, a flight instructor, lost her life in a devastating plane crash.

The Swedish-born pilot was accompanying two 18-year-old student pilots near Williamsburg International Airport in Virginia. During takeoff, one of the students, Oluwagbohunmi Ayomide Oyebode, pulled the aircraft’s nose up at too steep of an angle—a critical error that caused the Cessna 172 to stall.

The small plane managed to climb just 100 feet before it plummeted into a nearby wooded area. Viktoria was pronounced dead at the scene. The two students were severely injured and transported to the hospital for urgent care.

In chilling audio captured shortly before the crash, Viktoria’s final transmission to air traffic control was recorded:
“Cleared for takeoff, 97883. Caution wake turbulence.”
Moments later, panic surged over the radio:
“We got a crash!”

Air traffic control attempted to reestablish communication with the plane, but there was no response. Emergency crews were quickly dispatched, rushing to the crash site in a race against time.

Experts later explained that stalls—when an aircraft loses lift—can sometimes be corrected by lowering the nose of the plane. However, with such low altitude during takeoff, there was no room for recovery.

Viktoria’s death sent shockwaves through her family and the aviation world. Her loved ones remembered her as a bright, driven young woman who was living her dream. She had come to the U.S. to study at Hampton University on a full scholarship, excelling both academically and athletically.

Her family expressed their deep appreciation for the opportunities Hampton had provided and praised Viktoria’s warmth, intelligence, and dedication to flying.

The aviation community also mourned the loss, remembering Viktoria not just as a pilot, but as a passionate mentor and rising star in the skies.