Both pilots aboard a brand-new private jet were flying drunk when they crashed on a Libyan runway this week, prosecutors in the North African country allege.
The Cessna Citation Latitude, a 2026-built aircraft operated by Turkish company BKNJET Aviation Co., was touching down at Misrata International Airport on Monday when it veered off the runway and burst into flames, according to state prosecutors and the operator. Only three people were on board: a German pilot, a Turkish co-pilot and a Turkish flight attendant, and no injuries were reported in the incident.
The pilot and co-pilot were arrested for pretrial detention after investigators uncovered what they described as evidence of intoxication during the flight. Prosecutors claimed the pilots posed “a real threat” to the airport and travelers in the airspace.
“No verified result or document indicating any such finding regarding alcohol has been received by us,” the operator fired back in a statement, disputing the Libyan government’s allegations entirely.
The aircraft had departed Istanbul Atatürk Airport without passengers and was bound for Misrata to pick up VIP passengers when the crash occurred. Photos and video obtained by Jam Press show dark smoke spewing from the charred and mangled wreckage on the tarmac.
The crash caused a brief travel disruption at Misrata Airport on Monday, complicating operations at the facility as authorities responded to the scene.
BKNJET Aviation Co., the Turkey-based operator, has pushed back against the prosecution’s narrative while the pilots remain in pretrial detention. The company has not indicated whether it has conducted its own testing or investigation into the pilots’ condition.
The German pilot and Turkish co-pilot now face serious legal consequences in Libya as prosecutors build their case around the alleged drunk-flight evidence. The Turkish flight attendant who was also aboard has not been named in connection with any wrongdoing.
The incident drew coverage from independent Libyan outlet Al-Ahrar TV, which was cited by regional media in its reporting on the crash and subsequent arrests.
The 2026-built jet represents a significant financial loss for the operator, with the Citation Latitude typically valued in the tens of millions of dollars when new. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the post-crash fire.