A tragic incident unfolded on Friday afternoon in southwest Florida as a small plane attempted an emergency landing on Interstate 75, resulting in two fatalities and bringing traffic to a standstill amidst billows of black smoke.
The crash occurred near the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County, just north of the section where the interstate veers eastward toward Fort Lauderdale, commonly referred to as Alligator Alley.
Witness Brianna Walker recounted the harrowing moments as she observed the plane’s wing dragging a vehicle in front of hers before impacting the wall. She narrowly escaped a similar fate, managing to pull over just before the crash.
“The plane was over our heads by inches,” she said, describing the scene as the aircraft veered sharply across the highway, followed by an explosion of flames and debris scattering across the roadway.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet carrying five individuals. Departing from Ohio State University in Columbus around 1 p.m., the plane was en route to Naples, Florida, when it encountered engine failure, prompting the pilot’s distress call to air traffic control.
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Despite being cleared for a runway landing, the pilot informed the tower of the impossibility, stating, “We’ve lost both engines.” Subsequently, contact was lost, and the crash occurred just miles from Naples Airport.
Emergency responders, including fire crews equipped with specialized foam, rushed to the scene. Three survivors were extracted from the wreckage, while two fatalities were confirmed by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
The aircraft, operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, had been slated for a return flight to its base later that day.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct investigations into the crash, with the NTSB leading the effort. Initial findings are anticipated within 30 days.
As investigations continued, southbound lanes of Interstate 75 remained closed late into the night, underlining the gravity of the incident and its impact on the community.