Small plane crashes into mobile home park in Florida, kills pilot and one resident
The pilot of a Beechcraft 35 Bonanza died in a fiery crash, potentially claiming the life of a resident and igniting numerous trailers.
A “mass casualty incident” unfolded in Clearwater, Florida on Thursday evening as a small plane collided with a mobile home park, resulting in the death of the pilot, potentially claiming the life of a resident, and igniting four trailers.
According to FlightAware data, the aircraft involved was a Beechcraft 35 Bonanza, a single-engine plane departing from Vero Beach Regional Airport at 6:0q8 p.m. local time.
En route to Clearwater, a city adjacent to Tampa and St. Petersburg, the aircraft was scheduled to land at the Clearwater Airpark. However, the 62-year-old pilot notified air traffic control of an engine failure and issued a “mayday, mayday, mayday,” according to Fire Chief Scott Ehlers during a press briefing. Subsequently, the plane altered course and collided with the Bayside Waters mobile home park, also referred to as Japanese Garden, around 7:15 p.m.
Witnesses recorded the crash and posted videos on X, a social media platform, depicting thick white smoke billowing from the wreckage and flames consuming the trailers.
The force of the impact was intense, causing the plane to collide with one trailer and ignite three additional ones, resulting in a massive blaze visible for miles.
Laketa Collins, a witness who was refueling her car at a nearby Costco, described witnessing the plane descending from the sky resembling a “shooting star.” She recounted how it appeared as “a solid white ball, just descending without dimming or any alteration.”
The authorities responded quickly
The Clearwater Police Department and Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department, accompanied by additional emergency teams, promptly responded to the crash scene. Upon arrival, they discovered the deceased pilot within the aircraft and suspected that a resident from the first trailer also succumbed to the fire. Ehlers noted that identifying the victims would be a “challenging process” due to the extensive damage sustained by both the bodies and the plane.
Efforts to contain and extinguish the fire were swiftly carried out, resulting in no additional injuries or fatalities among the mobile home park residents. However, some residents expressed discontent with the presence of law enforcement officers and requested them to vacate the area.
Police Chief Eric Gandy stated that his officers were present to secure the perimeter and aid in the investigation. Situated near U.S. Highway 19, a bustling thoroughfare, the Bayside Waters community experienced partial closure of the road as a result of the incident.
FAA is conducting an detailed investigation
The reason behind the crash remains undetermined, and the number of passengers, aside from the pilot, remains uncertain. A collaborative investigation will be carried out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to ascertain the details and factors contributing to the accident. The NTSB will take the lead in the investigation and will furnish any updates via its website.
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