A routine flight lesson ended in unimaginable tragedy when 23-year-old flight instructor Viktoria Theresie Izabelle Ljungman was killed during a takeoff gone wrong. The Swedish-born pilot was in the air with two 18-year-old student pilots near Williamsburg International Airport in Virginia when one of them, Oluwagbohunmi Ayomide Oyebode, pulled the small Cessna 172 aircraft up at too steep an angle, causing it to stall.
The plane reached only about 100 feet in altitude before crashing into a wooded area. Ljungman died at the scene, while the two students were rushed to the hospital with severe injuries. Moments before the crash, Viktoria’s final transmission to air traffic control was captured in a chilling recording: “Cleared for takeoff, 97883. Caution wake turbulence.” Seconds later, panic crackled through the radio: “We got a crash!” What followed next left emergency responders scrambling
in a desperate effort to locate and assist the victims of the crash. Despite efforts to revive communication, air traffic control received no further response from the aircraft, prompting immediate emergency dispatch. Experts later explained that while a stall can sometimes be corrected by pitching the nose downward, such a maneuver is nearly impossible when flying so close to the ground. Viktoria’s family later paid tribute to her, praising her warmth, intelligence,
and commitment to her dream of becoming a pilot. They expressed gratitude to Hampton University, where Viktoria studied on a full scholarship, for giving her the opportunity to thrive both academically and athletically. Her loss resonated deeply with friends, peers, and the wider aviation community, many of whom remembered her as an inspiring figure in the skies.