South Florida man, wife and 3-year-old son among victims in Virginia jet crash

A family of three from South Florida were among the five people who died Saturday afternoon when their small private jet crashed and caught fire in Virginia.

Alfredo Diez, his wife, Kenya, and their 3-year-old son, Nicolas, were identified as victims of the crash in statements shared on Facebook on Monday evening by the West Broward Lodge No. 253, a freemasonry fraternal organization in Broward County, and by the UDJ Almeiras, a soccer club in Spain, where Diez was from.

“We want to remember him as what he was, a dreamer, an attentive person, kind and willing to help,” the soccer club said. “Thank you very much for everything Alfredo, rest in peace.”

“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our Brother Alfredo Diez, wife, and son,” the West Broward Lodge’s statement said. “His absence leaves a void in our lodge, but his memory will forever be part of our square and compasses.”

The Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra jet departed from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and was headed for Hot Springs, Virginia, when it crashed upon approaching a runway at Ingalls Field Airport about 3 p.m., Peter C. Knudson, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, said in an email Monday.

The jet “crashed under unknown circumstances,” caught fire at the airport and was destroyed, according to a Federal Aviation Administration preliminary incident report. The two flight crew members were also killed.

Diez was the owner and CEO of Sky Jet Elite, a company based in Broward County, and the owner and founder of Atlantis Aviation, a flight school in Pembroke Pines, according to Diez’s Facebook account. He was originally from the town of Betanzos in northwestern Spain.

An NTSB investigator arrived Monday morning to begin documenting the jet, Knudson said, and the wreckage will be taken to a secure facility for the investigation.

Private jet from Fort Lauderdale was short on approach to Virginia runway when it crashed, killing 5, police say

A Virginia State Police spokesperson did not return an email Monday seeking information about the circumstances of the crash or seeking the identities of the five people on board.

A state police spokesman said the plane caught fire on impact, and local reports showed what appeared to be plumes of white smoke rising from the site.

An attorney for the plane’s owner and family friend told police that the people aboard planned to attend an event at the nearby Homestead Resort. 

The NTSB will release a preliminary report within 30 days.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. 

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