NAPLES, Fla. – A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida on Friday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and halting traffic as a plume of black smoke rose into the air.
The crash occurred near the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County, just north of where the interstate leads east toward Fort Lauderdale, known as Alligator Alley.
Brianna Walker witnessed the plane’s wing drag a car in front of her and collide with a wall. “It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” she said, describing the terrifying moments leading up to the collision.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet with five people aboard. The plane had departed from an airport at Ohio State University in Columbus and was en route to Naples when the crash occurred.
A distress call from the pilot, reporting the loss of both engines, prompted the emergency landing, which ultimately ended in tragedy. Despite workers’ efforts to arrive at the crash site and provide medical attention to those aboard the plane, only three individuals were rescued from the wreckage.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Adam Fisher confirmed two fatalities resulting from the crash. However, it remains unclear whether the victims were passengers on the plane or individuals on the ground.
The aircraft, operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter, was scheduled to return to Fort Lauderdale the same day. The charter company released a statement expressing concern for the passengers, crew, and their families, stating that they had received reports of the accident and would send a team to the crash site.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a thorough investigation into the crash, with the NTSB leading the efforts. A preliminary report on the cause of the crash is expected to be released within 30 days.
As a result of the crash, southbound lanes of the interstate remained closed late into the night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The closure will likely remain in place until the investigation is complete and the wreckage is cleared.