The pilot of the private Cessna jet that crashed in Virginia, killing all onboard, had over 40 years of flying experience and was known for being safety-conscious. Jeff Hefner was a retired Southwest Airlines captain who had recently earned the FAA's highest-level medical certificate and was approved to fly Boeing 737s. His family, former clients, and colleagues described him as diligent and passionate about aviation.

The cause of the crash is believed to be a loss of pressurization, resulting in hypoxia and unconsciousness for Hefner and his passengers before the plane ran out of fuel and crashed.