RIP

The pilots of the private jet that crashed in Florida were told they could turn left, but not right ... and one aviation expert says turning the other way may have been the better move.

Corporate pilot and meteorologist JP Dice joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... telling Harvey and Charles that air traffic control gave the crew permission to veer left, but warned them against turning right because of other aircraft in the area.

Here's the problem ... Dice says the weather was actually worse to the left, while turning right could've given the pilots a better path through the storm.

Milania Giudice's late best friend Victoria Zardoya had ketamine in her system before she died following a devastating fall in Florida ... TMZ has learned.

According to the medical examiner's report, obtained by TMZ, the 20-year-old's blood tested positive for ketamine and norketamine -- a substance produced when the body breaks down the drug.

Her toxicology results also showed alcohol and etomidate, a medication used for sedation. The Sun was the first to report the news.

Joe Mixon is mourning the nine people who died in a horrific plane crash in Florida ... revealing he flew on the same jet with the same two pilots just weeks before the deadly disaster.

The former NFL running back shared the chilling connection on social media Monday ... saying he was "absolutely devastated" by Sunday's crash and had flown aboard the same aircraft just last month.

"They were incredible professionals and genuinely wonderful people," Mixon wrote of the two pilots, who were among those killed.

Tragedy struck Sunday's New York City marathon after a young woman running the race collapsed and died a mere 2 miles from the finish line.

The New York Times reports Rachel Apa was running in her first marathon with her Parkinson’s Champions team to honor her late grandfather, who passed away from the disease in 2022. 

As she was closing in on the finish line, Apa suddenly collapsed, and a hospital social worker watching the marathon rushed over to give CPR along with Apa's fiancée, the NYT said.

Here's the first look at the captain who was flying the private jet that nosedived and crashed in Florida, killing all 9 people on board.

Captain Jeff Gregory is seen smiling in this undated photo ... he's wearing his pilot's uniform, with his wings and a tie.

55-year-old Gregory was at the controls Sunday when a Learjet 60 encountered ice and moderate turbulence while flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. The jet nosedived and crashed in Florida, with the impact igniting a fireball and killing Gregory, his co-pilot, and their seven passengers.

Nathalia Gadelha -- the 20-year-old co-pilot who died in the plane crash in Palm Beach County on Sunday -- sent her boyfriend one final text message before the fatal impact.

The New York Post says it spoke to Nathalia's stepfather, Thiago Corleti ... who told the outlet he believes Nathalia texted her boyfriend around 12:40 PM ET ... roughly 10 minutes before the fatal crash.

Thiago says Nathalia texted her boyfriend, "I've got turbulence, I've got ice."

The skies were practically a second home for Nathalia Gadelha ... and the 20-year-old co-pilot killed in Sunday's Florida plane crash loved showing off the view.

Nathalia frequently shared videos of her flights on social media ... giving followers a front-row seat to life in the cockpit ... from the aircraft's controls to sweeping views above the clouds and stunning sunsets thousands of feet in the air.

Her videos offer a glimpse into Nathalia's passion for aviation ... one she developed at a young age, earning her private pilot's license at just 17 while attending West Boca Raton High School.

2:10 PM PT -- TMZ has obtained the horrifying dispatch audio from the plane's final moments.

A private jet carrying 9 people board crashed just 8 miles from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago ... resulting in an enormous fireball that engulfed the roadside.

The FAA tells TMZ ... a Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area near the Cresthaven neighborhood in Florida, around 12:50 PM on Sunday.

Video from the impact taken by a car passing by shows the plane in a nose dive before slamming into the roadside of the Florida town.

Lynn Krieger -- the wife of the legendary guitarist of The Doors, Robby Krieger -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Lynn died in her sleep Thursday after battling a longtime illness.

We're told paramedics were called to Robby and Lynn's Beverly Hills home just before noon for a possible cardiac arrest, but Lynn was already dead when fire and police personnel arrived.

Law enforcement also received a call for a natural death. Her official cause of death is not known at this time.

Johnny Lopez, one of the brilliant writers who helped launch TMZ.com and shape the irreverent, hilarious voice that became synonymous with the site, has died.

Johnny was there in TMZ's early days and was instrumental in developing the unique tone that set the site apart.

He was a beloved member of the TMZ family, someone whose personality was every bit as memorable as the stories he wrote.

At least 1 gunman shot up a Halloween store in California on Friday, killing 1 person and injuring 6 others, with 3 in critical condition, according to police.

Cops say the incident took place on Friday night at the Spirit Halloween Store in the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California.

Police say the suspect or suspects fled and are still at large. No motive was released, and it was unclear if the store was targeted.

Two helicopters collided while flying over Oregon ... and three people are dead.

The Federal Aviation Administration tells TMZ ... an Airbus H125 and a Robinson R22 were flying near McMinnville Municipal Airport Thursday afternoon when the choppers collided in midair.

The FAA says one aircraft carried one pilot while the other chopper had 2 people on board. All three people lost their lives, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office.

Two Colorado college students were found dead on Wednesday ... days after they went for a hike and never returned to campus.

The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office announced the deaths of Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, who both attended Colorado Mountain College Leadville.

According to the sheriff, Matsuda and Donlon were found in a basin of West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County. Foul play is not suspected, and the law enforcement agency wouldn't speculate on what happened to the pair while the investigation is ongoing.

A father of two in Florida died after he swam out to help a seagull he hooked while fishing ... and ended up drowning.

William "Stone" Romberg -- a hospitality manager -- died while fishing down in Panama City Beach on Sunday ... according to a GoFundMe set up for his family.

His friend, Heidi Fortner, says Romberg was fishing at an inlet when his cast caught a seagull. Concerned for the bird, she says he jumped into the water to untangle the animal.

Alan Dysert -- an actor best known for his role on the long-running soap opera "All My Children -- has died ... his wife announced on social media over the weekend.

Michele Dysert -- Alan's wife -- shared the message to his official Facebook on Sunday ... revealing Alan passed away on Friday.

Michele says Alan was a simple farm boy from Illinois who reached the heights of fame ... while also inspiring others as a beloved teacher and mentor.

Allan Avery -- the father of Steven Avery, whose legal troubles were documented in the hit Netflix documentary "Making A Murderer" -- has died ... according to the family's lawyer.

Attorney Kathleen Zellner revealed the sad news via social media Sunday ... noting that he was Steven's biggest supporter and advocate -- who believed in his innocence, 100%.

Allan appeared in the documentary ... the first season of which came out in 2015. The doc dove into Steven's wrongful sexual assault conviction and subsequent 18-year incarceration -- as well as his 2007 conviction for the murder of freelance photographer Teresa Halbach.