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NTSB Opens Probe After Missing Latitude Air Ambulance Jet

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 10:43 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

NTSB Launches Probe

The National Transportation Safety Board opened a probe into the missing Gulfstream G100.
Transport Canada is coordinating with U.S. authorities to obtain flight data and cockpit recordings.
Former DOT inspector-general Mary Schiavo warned the storm-laden route may have caused instrument loss.
Latitude Air Ambulance director Clarence Togeretz confirmed an emergency response plan was activated.
The FAA issued a Search-and-Rescue alert at 1:20 a.m., mobilizing Coast Guard, Cape Cod and SAR assets.

Summary

Latitude Air Ambulance Vanishes

Latitude Air Ambulance’s Gulfstream G100 jet declared an emergency before vanishing off Nantucket.
Pilot reported electrical problems and said the plane was ‘coming in blind’ at 1:30 a.m.
Flight data shows the jet dropped from 24,000 ft to 11,000 ft in two minutes before disappearing.
U.S. Coast Guard deployed aircraft, a helicopter, a lifeboat and cutter William Sparling, later finding debris confirming the aircraft.

History

Historical Context

The 1972 Andes flight disaster, when Flight 571 crashed on October 13, forced survivors to endure harsh conditions after the aircraft vanished in a storm. The investigation, led by Chilean authorities and the International Civil Aviation Organization, recovered only 12 of the 45 passengers' bodies, prompting a large search effort. Likewise, the NTSB, Transport Canada and Latitude Air Ambulance deployed cutters and helicopters when Gulfstream G100 vanished off Nantucket, dropping from 24,000 to 11,000 feet. The Andes tragedy spurred mandates for enhanced cockpit voice recorders, a precedent that now pressures regulators to tighten instrument-failure protocols and improve emergency coordination.

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NTSB Launches Probe

The National Transportation Safety Board opened a probe into the missing Gulfstream G100.
Transport Canada is coordinating with U.S. authorities to obtain flight data and cockpit recordings.
Former DOT inspector-general Mary Schiavo warned the storm-laden route may have caused instrument loss.
Latitude Air Ambulance director Clarence Togeretz confirmed an emergency response plan was activated.
The FAA issued a Search-and-Rescue alert at 1:20 a.m., mobilizing Coast Guard, Cape Cod and SAR assets.

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