NAPLES, Fla. — Authorities identified the two people who were killed in a plane crash on a Florida highway Friday afternoon. According to data from FlightAware, the plane was traveling from the Ohio State University Airport to Naples, Florida when it went down and burst into flames.
The victims were tentatively identified by the Collier County Sheriff's Office in Florida as 50-year-old Edward Murphy and 65-year-old Ian Hofmann, who were both from Florida. Murphy was piloting the plane and Hofmann was his second in command.
The Florida Highway Patrol told 10TV's sister station WTSP that the plane collided with a vehicle as it attempted to land on Interstate 75 in Collier County. The FAA identified the aircraft as a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet and said the crash happened about 3:15 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that five people were on board. The survivors include a crew member from Florida and two passengers from Columbus.
Air Traffic Control told CBS affiliate WINK that two engines failed on the twin-engine jet plane before the crash.
A spokesperson for The Ohio State University said the aircraft is not affiliated with the university, and they had no further information about it.
According to the FlightAware aircraft tracker, the plane was operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, with the NTSB leading the investigation.
One NTSB investigator arrived at the crash site Friday afternoon, with several more expected to arrive on Saturday. They will document the scene and examine the aircraft, which will then be taken to a secure facility for further evaluation. A preliminary report about the cause of the crash can be expected in 30 days.