NAPLES, Fla. — Two people are dead after a small plane traveling from Columbus crashed and burst into flames on a Florida highway Friday afternoon, the Collier County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
According to data from FlightAware, the plane took off from the Ohio State University Airport at 1:02 p.m. and was on its way to Naples Airport.
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 Federal Aviation Administration said that five people were on board.
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 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.
The FAA identified the aircraft as a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet and said the crash happened about 3:15 p.m.
According to the FlightAware aircraft tracker, the plane was operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Brianna Walker, 26, witnessed as the wing of the plane dragged the car in front of hers and slammed into the wall.
“It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” she said. “The wing pulverized this one car.”
Walker and her friend saw the plane moments before it hit the highway, allowing her friend to pull over before the crash.
“The plane was over our heads by inches,” she said. “It took a hard right and skid across the highway.”
Walker said an explosion of flames then burst from the plane with a loud boom. Pieces of the plane littered the highway.
“It feels unreal like a movie,” she said. “It was seconds between us dying.”
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.