Three people were killed in another plane crash in the United States. The small aircraft went down in Boca Raton, Florida, and crashed onto a roadway near the Boca Raton Airport on Friday morning. The devastating incident is believed to have been caused by a mechanical issue.
Emergency services were quick to respond after multiple 911 calls came in at approximately 10:12 a.m., according to Boca Raton Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Michael LaSalle. The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 310 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was en route to Tallahassee International Airport. It reportedly attempted to return to Boca Raton due to unspecified problems.
“The aircraft had apparently some mechanical issues and went down here at Military Trail,” LaSalle told reporters, according to AL. “There were three fatalities in the aircraft, and there was one injury on the ground, non-life threatening.”
The injured individual, Pablo Tafur, was driving in the area when the plane crashed in front of his car, based on reports. He narrowly escaped death and described the terrifying moment in an interview with NBC6 South Florida.
“I saw the plane fly low and continued through, and next thing I know it’s on top, right in front of me and exploded, impacted right in front of my car and it crashed,” Tafur said, AL reported. “`I tried to steer out of the way, but it was pretty much unavoidable. Got out of the car that was on fire, through the flames, and made it to safety.”
Military Trail, between Butts Road and Northwest 19th Street, was closed in both directions due to the wreckage. Nearby sections of the Interstate 95 interchange were also closed off to the public.
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer called the crash “heartbreaking.” He also offered condolences to the families of the deceased, according to a report. Officials from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the crash to determine the exact cause.
