Robert Downey Jr.’s private plane suffered engine failure while landing in Nevada — state police confirm burned-out wreckage found, 2 dead, man pulled out in critical condition.”

The wind that howled through the Nevada desert last night was unusual — it carried a deafening explosion, followed by a flare that flared up like a small sun in the darkness. One witness said he heard “a tremendous crash and then a flash of light that lit up the horizon.” That was the moment Robert Downey Jr.’s Gulfstream G200 private jet crashed into a suburb near Reno–Tahoe Airport, ending a flight that was less than 10 minutes from its destination.

According to preliminary data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane experienced a technical problem at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The engine had to stop, and the left engine emitted black smoke. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on an alternate runway, but strong winds and rough terrain caused the plane to lose control. It flipped sideways, slid hundreds of meters, and exploded as soon as it hit the ground.

“The flames were 100 meters high, the whole area was lit up,” said a witness, a truck driver on Interstate 580. “I heard screams for help from a distance, but the fire was so strong that no one dared to go near it.”

When Nevada firefighters and police arrived, the plane was nothing more than a blackened steel frame. Pieces of fuselage, charred leather seats, and a suitcase bobbed amid the ashes. By the flickering light of an ambulance, firefighters found Robert Downey Jr. trapped in the front cabin, while the captain and his personal assistant were pronounced dead at the scene.

“We had to cut open the cockpit door. When we pulled him out, he had burns on his face and hands, a weak pulse, but he was still breathing — it was unbelievable.”

The first photo from the scene showed the pilot’s helmet lying shattered next to the silver “RDJ” logo painted on the fuselage.

An ambulance rushed to Renown Regional Medical Center, where doctors described his condition as “critical but responsive.” He suffered multiple injuries, second-degree burns, and severe rib fractures. According to Dr. Caroline Hughes, head of the emergency department:

“We gave him two shocks, put him on a ventilator, and managed his internal injuries. If we had waited three minutes longer, he would have died.”

Outside the hospital, fans began gathering, carrying Iron Man signs and “#PrayForRDJ” signs. A 10-year-old boy in red armor told CNN:

“Iron Man always saves people. Now it’s our turn to pray for someone to save him.”

The news spread in minutes. Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok were flooded with images of the burning plane and prayers.
The hashtag #PrayForRDJ quickly surpassed 1 billion views within four hours — surpassing #RIPKobe on that fateful day in 2020.

Chris Evans wrote: “Unbelievable. Our heroes – both on screen and off – please be as strong as Tony Stark.”

Gwyneth Paltrow cried during the livestream, saying: “He has the kindest heart I have ever known. I just hope this is not the last time.”

Elon Musk shared a photo of the two at the Iron Man 2 premiere, with the caption: “Genius. Hero. Fighter. Don’t give up, my friend.”

In front of the hospital, fans turned on speakers to play “Come with me, my friend, I’ll show you the stars” – a song Downey himself sang, adding to the tragic scene.

The intensive care unit was filled with cold blue light. The monitor beeped continuously. Every time the pulse wavered, the nurses looked at each other worriedly. In the waiting room, his wife, Susan Downey, clutched a notebook with the words “You are the reason I’m still here” – the same words Robert had written after overcoming his addiction many years ago.

Dr. Hughes walked out at 2:30 a.m., his face tired but determined:

“His heart is stable. However, his lungs and nerves are still weak. We are monitoring every minute.”

The entire hallway erupted in tears. Fans lit candles outside, and the image of the shimmering sea of ​​light spread around the world.

While everyone was praying, the second lightning news came: the second ambulance helicopter carrying specialists from California to assist had a landing accident due to strong winds and had to make an emergency landing in the desert. Fortunately, the crew survived, but all medical equipment was severely damaged, causing treatment to be interrupted for hours.

“This is the worst night in the history of private aviation in the state. But all efforts are directed towards a single goal: to save Robert Downey Jr.”

At 4 a.m., the signal from the monitor dropped. Alarm bells rang throughout the ICU. Respiratory and cardiovascular doctors rushed in, performing CPR for 9 minutes straight. The whole world held its breath. And then — a faint “beep” sounded, the heartbeat returned.

The doctor whispered:

“Iron Man is still fighting.”

Outside, hundreds of fans cheered in tears. The desert night was lit by thousands of candles.

The next morning, satellite images showed a hundreds of meters long burn trail where the plane crashed. A sign was placed in the black ash with the scrawled words:

“Here fell a man who rose higher than his demons.”

Online, the message became a global viral message.

The story is not over yet.