Three killed in small plane crash in Florida
Authorities say three people died after a small plane leaving Boca Raton crashed on its way to Tallahassee in Florida.
A small engine airplane crashed in Boca Raton, Florida, killing all three people on board on Friday, April 11, officials said.
A Cessna 310 crashed at approximately 10:20 a.m. local time shortly after leaving the Boca Raton Airport as it headed for Tallahassee, according to the Federal Aviation Administration‘s preliminary incident report.
Boca Raton Assistant Fire Chief Michael LaSalle said the aircraft had “some mechanical issues at takeoff and went down on Military Trail, about a mile from the airport.”
LaSalle said all three passengers on board were killed. One other person driving a car on the road near where the plane crashed was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, he said.
The crash comes the day after a sightseeing helicopter crashed in New York City’s Hudson River, killing all six people on board.
Aerial footage from local news station NBC6 showed authorities assessing damage near a pair of train tracks. The footage showed at least one crashed car and debris near a highway overpass.
Flight tracker shows plane circled Boca Raton airport for several minutes before crash
LaSalle said local dispatchers got a call around 10:12 a.m. about a plane “in trouble,” saying the plane had “apparently some mechanical issues.”
According to flight-tracking service FlightRadar 24, a Cessna C310 that took off from Boca Raton at 10:13 a.m. circled the airport for several minutes before disappearing from radar over North Military Trail. The FAA said the plane that crashed is a Cessna C310 but did not immediately provide other details.
The Cessna C310 is a twin-engine, six-seat aircraft.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, and the Boca Raton Police Services Department said it was assisting. In a post on social media, the Boca Raton officials said there were multiple road closures near the I-95 and Glades Road intersection, advising locals to avoid the area.
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.
