In a tragic incident near Naples, Florida, a small plane attempting an emergency landing on Interstate 75 collided with a vehicle, resulting in the death of two individuals and a massive plume of black smoke that brought traffic to a standstill. The crash occurred close to the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County, disrupting the flow just north of the eastward route toward Fort Lauderdale, commonly known as Alligator Alley.
Eyewitness Brianna Walker recounted the harrowing moments when the plane's wing dragged the car in front of hers, pulverizing it against the highway wall. Walker and her friend narrowly escaped disaster, having spotted the plane just before impact and pulled over in the nick of time. The aircraft, identified as a Bombardier Challenger 600 jet by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), had five people on board and took off from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Scheduled to land in Naples around 3:15 pm, the pilot declared an emergency, citing the loss of both engines.
Despite being cleared for a runway landing, the pilot conveyed the impossibility, stating, "We're not going to make the runway. Naples Airport Authority spokesperson Robin King reported that fire trucks with special foam were dispatched to the scene, rescuing three of the occupants from the wreckage.
Tragically, two individuals lost their lives in the incident, with Collier County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Adam Fisher indicating uncertainty regarding whether the victims were passengers on the plane or on the ground. The aircraft, operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was scheduled to return to Fort Lauderdale later that afternoon.
Hop-a-Jet expressed immediate concern for the well-being of passengers, crew members, and their families. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, with an NTSB investigator already on-site. The southbound lanes of the interstate remained closed as of late Friday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, with a preliminary report on the crash expected within 30 days.
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