A Bombardier Challenger 600 jet, facing engine failure Friday, plummeted from the sky and collided with a vehicle on Interstate 75, near Naples, Fla., killing two people.
The small private jet, traveling with five passengers from The Ohio State University Airport in Columbus bound for Naples Airport, encountered a catastrophic double engine failure mid-flight. A recording from the cockpit revealed the pilot’s urgent report of the malfunction and his intention to perform an emergency landing. “Hop-A-Jet 823, lost both engines, emergency,” communicated the distressed pilot to air traffic control. Despite efforts, the aircraft did not reach the safety of the runway, rapidly descending toward the busy highway below.
The plane struck a car near the 107-mile marker, five miles from its intended touchdown point at Naples Airport.
Brianna Walker, a witness to the crash, said it was like a “dramatic movie scene” and recounted the brush with death her vehicle narrowly escaped. “It’s seconds that separated us,” Walker said.
Social media users posted visuals of the fiery aftermath that halted traffic and sent plumes of dark smoke into the air, captured by stunned onlookers.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to begin its investigation Saturday. Their agenda includes a meticulous examination of the crash site and the wreckage, which will be moved to a secure location for further investigation, as per Local10 reports.
The aircraft was identified as a 2004 model owned by East Shore Aviation LLC based in Fort Lauderdale, according to the FAA’s records.