Florida Interstate Plane Crash: 2 Dead After Plane Tried Doing Emergency Landing on Highway
A deadly plane crash just happened on Florida's Interstate 75 when it attempted an emergency landing on Friday afternoon. The incident resulted in the deaths of two people and halting vehicular traffic, as well as a massive black plume of smoke being seen from far away.
The crash landing happened in Collier County, near Interstate 75's Pine Ridge Exit, which is located north of where the interstate heads east toward Fort Lauderdale along the area locals call known as Alligator Alley. The plane crashed into one of the cars in the highway.
One of those who witnessed the crash as it happened, 26-year-old Brianna Walker, told the Associated Press that as the small plane tried to land, it dragged the car in front of hers with its wing, before slamming into a wall nearby.
"It's seconds that separated us from the car in front of us," she said, narrowly avoiding what might have been a deadly ordeal for her. "The wing pulverized this one car."
She added that she and her friend saw the small plane just moments before it hit the highway. This allowed her friend to pull over as the plane crashed with the car in front of them, telling the AP, "The plane was over our heads by inches, it took a hard right and skid across the highway."
"It feels unreal like a movie," concluded, "It was seconds between us dying."
Small Plane Possibly Lost an Engine Before Florida Plane Crash in Interstate 75
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the plane was a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet, with five people aboard when the crash happened. Meanwhile, Collier County Sheriff's Office spokesman Adam Fisher confirmed two people died but he did not say whether they came from the plane or the car it crashed into.
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According to USA Today, the plane originated from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and was heading to an airport in Naples, Florida. It was then scheduled to travel to Fort Lauderdale, but it crashed before it could reach Naples.
The Naples Airport Authority stated that it lost communication with the plane just before it crashed around 3:10 PM.
"It was coming in for a landing," said Robin King, the director of communication with the Naples Airport Authority. "We received word that it had possibly lost an engine, we have not confirmed that. Then we lost contact."
The FAA is currently investigating the crash.
Florida Interstate Crash Happened a Week After Another Plane Crashed Into a Mobile Home
Just a week before that interstate crash, three people also died after a small plane crashed into a Clearwater, Florida, mobile home park. The crash resulted in several mobile homes being set on fire, killing three people.
The FAA revealed the pilot of that Beechcraft Bonanza V35 plane died in that crash, along with two people on the ground. According to NBC News, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating the crash.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Small plane crashes on I-75 in southwest Florida - WPTV News - FL Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast