Just before a tragic plane crash in Florida, intense breathing and grunting noises were detected from the cockpit of a private aircraft, resulting in the deaths of a Christian missionary and his daughter.

At the controls was 53-year-old Alexander Wurm, who was piloting the plane with his 22-year-old daughter, Serena, aboard when it tragically nosedived into a small lake in Coral Springs last month.

Their mission, under the evangelist organization Ignite the Fire, involved a humanitarian trip to Jamaica to provide aid to those affected by Hurricane Melissa when the fatal incident occurred.

On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report shedding light on the final moments captured by air traffic controllers as the plane descended.

The initial findings indicate that sounds of heavy breathing and grunting were picked up over the microphone, as the aircraft narrowly avoided crashing into nearby homes.

No further details on who was making that sound or why were shared. 

The NTSB said that the actual cause of the crash won’t be known until the investigation is completed in the next year. 

The report also raised questions about whether the plane might have been overloaded, but investigators haven’t determined yet if that was the case. 

It said that the group planned to take 1,000 pounds of supplies including a generator, but when they arrived the pilot had already loaded the plane with 200 pounds of gear.

Wurm and his daughter, both pictured here, were on their way to Jamaica to deliver aid to victims of Hurricane Melissa when they crashed

The moment the plane smashed into a pond and shattered into debris is seen in video footage

The report said the pilot checked the stated weight of everything on a report as it was loaded but didn´t weigh the items. 

The generator was strapped down in the back while other supplies were stacked on the seats in the cabin. The pilot left behind some items for a future flight.

After successfully taking off, the NTSB noted that the plane didn’t make it far from Fort Lauderdale airport before it sharply descended after leveling off at 4,000 feet.  

It reached a speed of 270 knots before crashing, with footage capturing the moment the plane plummeted into the pond and shattered into debris behind a row of homes.

According to the initial report the plane broke apart on impact and had recently made four other trips to Jamaica after the island was ravaged by Hurricane Melissa. 

The storm also caused devastation in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and prompted relief organizations to mobilize.

Ignite the Fire said after the crash that the Wurm family was passionate about humanitarian work and their Christian faith. 

The group that Wurm founded is ‘dedicated to empowering youth through missions and evangelism across the Caribbean.’

Rescue divers are seen here on the banks of the body of water following the horrific crash last month 

Wurm is seen here alongside his wife Candace in a picture shared to her social media celebrating 23 years married earlier this year. The two share three children Serena, James and Christiana

The group said Serena was ‘following in her father’s footsteps’ as she joined him on his trips to the hurricane-ravaged area.

‘(Serena) was a beacon of empathy and hope, inspiring all with her commitment to humanitarian work,’ the ministry said.

Wurm had most recently completed an aid delivery to Jamaica on November 4 and he was praised on that trip by charity Crisis International in a social media post.

The charity shared a video of volunteers at Montego Bay handling boxes of supplies delivered by the late minister.

Sean Malone, founder of Crisis International, said in a video statement that he was shocked by Wurm’s death.

He added that charities rely on small plane deliveries similar to those piloted by Wurm.

Wurm is survived by his wife Candace, son James and daughter Christiana. The family reside in the Cayman Islands.