Libya’s Public Prosecution has ordered the pre-trial detention of the pilot and co-pilot of a private jet that veered off the runway at Misrata International Airport and caught fire, saying investigators found evidence that the two were operating the aircraft while intoxicated.
The incident involved a Cessna 680A Citation Latitude, registration TC-AKF, operated by Turkish aviation company BKNJET. The aircraft departed Istanbul without passengers on September 14, 2026, and was conducting a positioning flight to Misrata when it veered off the runway during landing.
The aircraft was subsequently destroyed by fire, but all three crew members escaped and no fatalities or injuries were reported. BKNJET said the aircraft was carrying three flight crew members and no passengers.
The Libyan Public Prosecution said its preliminary investigation included an inspection of the wreckage, examination of air-traffic-control records, review of weather reports and atmospheric conditions at the time of landing, and testimony from technical personnel involved in managing the landing.
According to the prosecution, investigators questioned the flight crew 24 hours after the accident and confronted the pilot and co-pilot with evidence indicating that they had operated the aircraft while intoxicated and had disregarded aviation and general safety regulations. Prosecutors said the conduct created a danger to the crew and aircraft and potentially threatened the airport, its users and people within the airspace traversed by the aircraft.
The Libyan authorities have not publicly identified the two pilots by name or officially disclosed their nationalities. Some media reports have described the captain as German and the co-pilot as Turkish, but those details have not been confirmed by the Public Prosecution and should be treated as unverified.
Civil aviation investigation also reports alcohol findings
Separately, Libya’s civil aviation authorities said on September 16 that specialized analysis of blood samples taken from the aircraft crew detected alcohol concentrations that could affect concentration and human activity. The findings were reported as part of the investigation established by Libya’s Ministry of Transport following the accident.
The findings have nevertheless been disputed by BKNJET, which operates the aircraft. In a statement, the Turkish company said its pilots underwent medical examinations immediately after the accident but that it had not received any verified result or document establishing the presence of alcohol. The company also said reports that the pilots had been detained did not accurately reflect their situation, stating that they remained in Libya as part of ongoing official procedures and questioning.
The differing accounts mean that the allegation of intoxication should, at this stage, be attributed specifically to the Libyan authorities rather than presented as an independently established final finding.
Aircraft destroyed after runway excursion
The accident occurred after the Citation Latitude landed on runway 15 at Misrata. Accident-record sources say the aircraft initially moved to the left after touchdown, left the paved runway, and traveled across an unpaved area before returning toward the runway. The landing gear collapsed and the aircraft came to a stop before being engulfed in flames.
BKNJET said the three crew members evacuated safely and that there were no deaths or injuries. The company also said it was cooperating with the relevant civil-aviation authorities and investigation bodies in Libya and Türkiye.
The Public Prosecution said the preliminary proceedings resulted in the decision to place both pilots in pre-trial detention while the wider investigation continues. Authorities are examining the circumstances of the runway excursion, the conduct of the flight crew and any potential legal responsibility arising from the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the final determination of the accident's causes and any criminal or regulatory liability will depend on the conclusions of the Libyan authorities and the applicable aviation investigation procedures.
