COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — BREAKING UPDATE: Authorities have released the names of the two people killed in the fiery crash. Latest updates here.
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Two people are dead after a plane crashed Friday afternoon on Interstate 75 in Collier County while trying to make an emergency landing. As a result, part of the interstate remains closed Saturday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the plane collided with a vehicle as it attempted to land on the interstate around 3:15 p.m. near Pine Ridge Road.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said five people were on board the Bombardier Challenger 600 jet when it crashed on the interstate.
Brianna Walker saw the wing of the plane drag the car in front of hers and slam into the wall.
“It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” she told The Associated Press. “The wing pulverized this one car.”
Walker and her friend spotted 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.”
According to data from Flight Radar, the plane was traveling from the Ohio State University (OSU) Airport in Columbus to Naples, Florida. It had just traveled from Ft. Lauderdale to OSU earlier in the day. The plane had taken off from an airport at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, at about 1 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Naples around the time of the crash, Naples Airport Authority spokesperson Robin King said. A pilot had contacted the tower requesting an emergency landing, saying they had lost both engines.
The pilot was cleared to land on a runway but replied “we're not going to make the runway. We've lost both engines," according to a tape of the call cited by the the Naples Daily News.
The tower lost contact, and then airport workers saw the smoke from the interstate just a few miles away, King said.
King said they sent fire trucks with special foam to the scene, and three of the five people on board were taken from the wreckage alive.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Adam Fisher confirmed two deaths, but said he didn’t immediately know whether the victims had been passengers on the plane or were on the ground.
According to the FlightAware aircraft tracker, the plane was operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The aircraft had been scheduled to fly back to Fort Lauderdale Friday afternoon.
Hop-a-Jet said Friday night that it had “received confirmed reports of an accident involving one of our leased aircraft near Naples” and would send a team to the crash site, the Naples Daily News reported.
“Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our passengers, crew members, and their families,” the statement said. It didn't contain details of the crash.
OSU confirmed with 10 Tampa's sister station WBNS that the plane is not affiliated with the university.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the northbound lanes of I-75 are open. However, per the FAA's request, the southbound lanes of I-75 between mile markers 111 and 105 will remain shut down for now.
"Please avoid the area if possible and seek an alternate route. Additional updates will be provided as needed," officials said.
According to FHP, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is asking anyone who has video of the plane crash to contact them via email at witness@NTSB.gov. The NTSB stresses that video of the plane after the crash isn't needed but rather the actual crash.
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.