A plane crash on a Florida interstate claimed the lives of two individuals, identified as pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, aged 50, and co-pilot Ian Frederick Hofmann, aged 65, according to law enforcement officials from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.
The crash, which occurred Friday afternoon, also left three individuals injured. The survivors were identified as crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, aged 23, and passengers Aaron Baker, aged 35, and Audra Green, aged 23, all hailing from Columbus, Ohio. They were transported to a local hospital, although their current conditions remain undisclosed.
In the moments preceding the catastrophe, the pilot calmly communicated with air traffic control, indicating the dire situation. “We’re clear to land, but we’re not gonna make the runway. We’ve lost both engines,” the pilot relayed just before the private jet attempted an emergency landing on Interstate 75.
Witnesses recounted the harrowing scene as the aircraft collided with a vehicle on the highway, with the wing of the plane dragging a car before striking a wall. The impact resulted in a fiery explosion, engulfing the area in flames and billowing black smoke.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the crash site located near Naples, Florida. The flight, which originated from Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, Ohio, was en route to Naples when the tragic incident unfolded.
“We sent fire trucks with special foam to the scene, and three of the five people on board were taken from the wreckage alive,” stated Robin King, spokesperson for the Naples Airport Authority.
Eyewitness Brianna Walker described the terrifying moment when the plane narrowly missed her car before careening onto the highway. “It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” she recalled. “The wing pulverized this one car.”
The aircraft, operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, had been scheduled to return to its base on Friday afternoon, according to FlightAware aircraft tracker. Hop-a-Jet released a statement expressing concern for the well-being of those involved in the accident and announced plans to dispatch a team to the crash site for investigation.
Meanwhile, authorities have clarified that the aircraft is not affiliated with Ohio State University. A spokesperson for the university affirmed they had no further information regarding the incident.
Federal authorities anticipate issuing a preliminary report on the crash’s cause within 30 days, as investigations into the tragic event continue.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
