Disturbing audio of heavy breathing and grunting was the last communication from a private plane before it crashed into a Florida lake last month, killing a Christian missionary pilot and his daughter, a preliminary report has revealed.
Final Moments Captured on Audio
According to the National Transportation Safety Board's initial findings, air traffic controllers heard the troubling sounds over the microphone as the aircraft descended. The plane, piloted by Alexander Wurm, 53, narrowly avoided colliding with homes in Coral Springs before plummeting into a small lake. His daughter, Serena Wurm, 22, was also on board.
The NTSB stated that the actual cause of the crash will not be confirmed until the full investigation concludes, which is expected to take up to a year. The report did not specify who was making the sounds or why.
Questions Over Aircraft Loading and Flight Path
The report raised questions about whether the aircraft might have been overloaded for its humanitarian mission. The pair, working with Wurm's ministry Ignite the Fire, were travelling to Jamaica to deliver aid to victims of Hurricane Melissa.
They planned to take 1,000 pounds of supplies, including a generator. However, when the group arrived, the pilot had already loaded 200 pounds of gear. The NTSB noted Wurm checked the stated weight on a report but did not physically weigh the items. The generator was strapped in the back, with other supplies stacked on the cabin seats.
After taking off from Fort Lauderdale airport, the plane levelled off at 4,000 feet but did not travel far before it began a sharp descent. It reached a speed of 270 knots before crashing into the pond, with video footage capturing the moment it shattered into debris behind a row of homes. The aircraft had recently made four other aid trips to Jamaica.
A Legacy of Humanitarian Work
Following the crash, Ignite the Fire paid tribute to the Wurm family's passion for humanitarian work and Christian faith. The ministry said Serena was "following in her father's footsteps" and described her as "a beacon of empathy and hope."
Wurm had completed an aid delivery to Jamaica on November 4, just prior to the fatal flight. Charity Crisis International praised that trip in a social media post, sharing video of volunteers handling the delivered supplies.
Sean Malone, founder of Crisis International, expressed shock at Wurm's death, noting that charities often rely on small plane deliveries like those he piloted. Alexander Wurm is survived by his wife Candace, son James, and daughter Christiana. The family resides in the Cayman Islands.
