Two Dead After Small Plane Crashes and Bursts Into Flames on Florida Highway
The aircraft was approximately 250 feet in the air when it crashed less than a minute from the runway, according to reports
Photo from the crash scene
A jet carrying five crashed on a Florida highway, leaving two people dead after it exploded in flames. The Federal Aviation Administration[1] (FAA) reported that the Bombardier Challenger 600 jet crashed on Highway I-75 near Naples around 3:15 p.m. on Friday.
The jet had departed from The Ohio State University Airport at 1:02 p.m. and was scheduled to land at Naples Airport at 3:12 p.m., according to FlightAware[2]. According to the Associated Press[3], the small plane collided with a car after crashing onto the highway while attempting to make an emergency landing. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told PEOPLE that preliminary information shows that the pilot radioed that the airplane had a “dual engine failure” on approach into the Naples airport.
Related: Police Have Said Foul Play Isn’t Suspected in Deaths of 3 Chiefs Fans. That’s Caused Some ‘Disappointment’[4]
Per WBBH-TV,[5] the plane was approximately 250 feet in the air when it crashed less than a minute from the runway. Brianna Walker, who was driving on the highway at the time of the crash, told the Associated Press that she witnessed the wing of the plane drag the car in front of her. “It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us.
The wing pulverized this one car. The plane was over our heads by inches. It took a hard right and skid across the highway,” she told the news organization. “It feels unreal, like a movie.
It was seconds between us dying.” There were two confirmed fatalities from the crash, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Department[6]. PEOPLE has reached out to the department for comment.
[embedded content] Related: Hundreds of Students Protest Texas School’s New Cellphone Ban: ‘This Is Not Right’[7] As of Friday night, all southbound lanes on the highway remained closed, and all northbound lanes on I-75 between mile marker 105 (Golden Gate Parkway) and mile marker 111 (Immokalee Road) were reopened.
Story continues The sheriff’s department advised travelers[8] to expect delays and find alternate routes when traveling southbound. The FAA is collaborating with the NTSB to investigate the crash.
The NTSB told PEOPLE that an investigator arrived at the crash scene Friday, and “several more” are expected to arrive on Saturday. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter[9] to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “They will document the scene and examine the aircraft.
The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB told PEOPLE. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter![10] Read the original article on People[11].
References
- ^ Federal Aviation Administration (twitter.com)
- ^ FlightAware (www.flightaware.com)
- ^ Associated Press (apnews.com)
- ^ Police Have Said Foul Play Isn’t Suspected in Deaths of 3 Chiefs Fans.
That’s Caused Some ‘Disappointment’
(people.com) - ^ WBBH-TV, (www.nbc-2.com)
- ^ Collier County Sheriff’s Department (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Hundreds of Students Protest Texas School’s New Cellphone Ban: ‘This Is Not Right’ (people.com)
- ^ advised travelers (www.facebook.com)
- ^ PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter (forms.dotdashmeredith.com)
- ^ sign up for our newsletter! (forms.dotdashmeredith.com)
- ^ People (people.com)