2 individuals perish as small plane attempts emergency landing on southwest Florida interstate.
Two individuals lost their lives when a small plane attempted an emergency landing on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida on Friday afternoon. The plane collided with a vehicle, resulting in a significant fire and halting traffic as a large plume of black smoke billowed into the air.
The incident occurred close to the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County, just north of where the road leads east towards Fort Lauderdale along the stretch known as Alligator Alley.
Brianna Walker observed the plane’s wing striking the car ahead of hers and then crashing into the wall.
“It happened quickly,” she remarked. “The plane’s wing hit the car ahead of us.”
Walker and her friend noticed the plane just before it landed on the road, allowing them to pull over in time.
“The plane was right above us,” she recalled. “Then it turned sharply and skidded across the road.”
Walker witnessed flames erupting and heard a loud boom as the plane crashed. Debris from the plane scattered across the road.
“It felt like something out of a movie,” she said. “We were just moments away from a disaster.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the plane involved in the crash was a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet. They also confirmed that there were five people on board when the incident occurred around 3:15 pm.
The aircraft departed from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, at approximately 1 p.m. It was en route to Naples when the incident occurred. The pilot communicated with the control tower, requesting an emergency landing due to the failure of both engines.
The pilot was informed that they could land on a runway, but they responded, “We won’t reach the runway. Both engines are out,” as heard in a recording referenced by officials.
The tower lost contact with the plane. After that, airport workers saw smoke coming from the nearby interstate a few miles away, as stated by King.
King mentioned that they dispatched specialized fire trucks to the scene and successfully rescued three out of the five individuals from the wreckage.
Adam Fisher, spokesperson for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed two fatalities but indicated uncertainty regarding whether the victims were passengers or individuals on the ground.
As per FlightAware aircraft tracker, the plane was operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was scheduled to return to Fort Lauderdale on Friday.
Hop-a-Jet acknowledged the crash involving one of their leased aircraft near Naples and announced their intention to send a team to the site.
Our primary concern is for the safety of our passengers, crew members, and their families,” the statement emphasized. It did not provide specifics about the crash.
A spokesperson from Ohio State University clarified that the aircraft is not affiliated with the university, and they have no additional information regarding the incident.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the crash, with the NTSB leading the effort. An NTSB investigator arrived at the crash site on Friday afternoon, and more are expected to join on Saturday. They will document the scene and examine the aircraft. Later, it will be moved to a secure facility for further assessment. A preliminary report on the crash’s cause is anticipated within 30 days.
The plane struck a truck, resulting in an individual sustaining a head laceration, according to Steelsmith.
Authorities indicated that both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.
By late Friday night, the southbound lanes of the interstate were still closed, as confirmed by the Florida Highway Patrol.