Tragedy struck on Valentine’s Day as a pilot, flying with his wife, crashed moments before landing, resulting in their deaths. The heart-wrenching incident occurred on February 14, 2014, when 44-year-old pilot Allen invited his 46-year-old wife, Cie, to accompany him on a medical cargo flight from Jackson, Mississippi, to Birmingham, Alabama. Investigators have revealed a series of alarming oversights that led to this disaster, raising questions about the pilot’s qualifications and the company’s oversight.

Allen had previously passed several check rides but was only approved for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flights, despite holding an instrument rating. On the day of the crash, he had already been awake for over 15 hours after a busy workday, yet he was cleared to fly at night—an action that should have raised red flags. Compounding the danger, he had not flown at night in over three months, violating company policy that required recent night flying experience.

As the flight progressed, Allen encountered deteriorating weather conditions, diverting to wait out a storm. However, instead of canceling the flight, he pressed on, ignoring critical safety protocols. Just after 9 PM, he took off from Jackson, requesting VFR flight following to Birmingham. In the final moments, air traffic control lost contact as Allen failed to follow instructions, leading to a rapid descent and a catastrophic crash into trees.

The NTSB investigation revealed no mechanical failures but highlighted Allen’s dangerous decision-making and the company’s lack of oversight. This heartbreaking incident has left four 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren without their parents and serves as a tragic reminder of the importance of adherence to safety protocols in aviation. As the community mourns, questions linger about how such preventable mistakes could lead to such a devastating outcome.