Overview
- On August 25, 2001, a chartered Cessna crashed shortly after takeoff from the Bahamas, killing Aaliyah and eight others and destroying the aircraft in a post‑takeoff fire.
- Investigators concluded the plane was heavily overloaded and had uneven weight distribution that harmed its center of gravity and contributed to the crash.
- The pilot, Luis Antonio Morales III, was found to have falsified credentials and later tested positive for cocaine and alcohol, raising questions about his fitness to fly.
- On the 25th anniversary, Damon “Dame” Dash publicly said Aaliyah texted him that she did not like the plane, a personal detail widely reported but not part of the official record.
- Longstanding anecdotal claims — including eyewitness reports that others warned the flight was unsafe and that Aaliyah complained of a headache before boarding — have resurfaced, but no new official findings or legal actions have emerged since the family’s 2003 settlement.