10 Tragic Details Surrounding The Death Of Aaliyah

6 /10 Excessive Weight Load

The chartered plane was supposed to fly to and land in Opa-Locka, Florida, but it crashed just a few moments after takeoff.

All passengers, including Christopher Maldonado (makeup artist) and Eric Foreman (hairstylist), did not survive the accident.

An investigation into the crash was in order. Two weeks after the unfortunate flight, some revelations finally came up.

While various factors were involved in the collision, excessive weight load was cited as a significant cause of the accident.

Improper weight distribution also introduced difficulties in maintaining balance midair.

5 /10 Unauthorized Pilot

Chartering Blackhawk International Airways turned out to be a costly mistake. The pilot, Luis Morales, did not have the clearance to take charge of the flight.

He exaggerated his track record by adding “fake” flight hours to give the impression that he was an experienced pilot falsely.

Several news outlets, including The Associated Press, reported an allegation of the pilot being on probation during the accident.

Just 12 days before the crash, Morales pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and was sentenced in August 2021.

4 /10 Sleeping Pills

In the biography “Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah” by Kathy Iandoli, there was another shocking revelation.

An eyewitness claimed to have observed Aaliyah being reluctant to board the flight.

The book was released in August 2021, and the public was aware of the testimony for the first time.

After staying quiet for two decades, the eyewitness said Aaliyah was under the influence of sleeping pills before the flight.

The singer was taken into the plane in an unconscious condition.

3 /10 Unknowingly Boarded

Kingsley Russell, the eyewitness, was 13-year-old at the time of the accident.

His family owned a taxi company in Abaco Islands, where Aaliyah filmed her “Rock the Boat” music video.

Russell claimed to have been in the cab when his mother drove Aaliyah to the airport.

The statement essentially meant that Aaliyah was asleep throughout the ill-fated flight.

She didn’t even know or realize that she was on board the plane and probably never wanted to fly in the first place.

2 /10 Anxious Flyer

Those closest to Aaliyah knew she was always an anxious flyer.

Her safety concern heightened as soon as she realized the plane was too small to carry the weight of all the passengers and the equipment.

Morales tried to explain the risk of excessive load, but he eventually gave in to his clients’ requests.

Aaliyah’s arrived on Cessna 404, a slightly bigger version of the Cessna 402 that was supposed to take them back to Florida.

The pilot was proven right, unfortunately, in the worst possible way.

1 /10 Impossible Survival

Russell’s testimony disproved the initial reports that claimed Aaliyah couldn’t wait to return and was eager to board the small plane.

An autopsy report revealed that Aaliyah suffered from a severe head injury and extensive burns. Even if she had survived the crash’s impact, full recovery would have been near impossible.

Aaliyah was a mystery throughout much of her teenage and adult life; her death created another mystery.

To some extent, Aaliyah is more prevalent after her death than when she was still here.

All her albums have now been made available on music streaming services.