The Bombardier Challenger 600 series jet, carrying five people, crashed on Interstate 75 near Naples, Fla., according to investigators.
A small plane crashed onto a Florida roadway Friday afternoon after apparently experiencing twin engine failure, killing at least two persons, according to police.
The aeroplane crashed on Interstate 75 in Naples around 3:15 p.m. ET, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It collided with another vehicle, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office reported two confirmed fatalities in the crash.
The Naples Airport reported to ABC News that three persons survived the collision, but their conditions are unknown.
According to the FAA, five passengers were on board the Bombardier Challenger 600 jet that crashed, which is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.
According to the NTSB, the aircraft originated at Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, Ohio.
“The preliminary information we have is that the pilot radioed that the aeroplane had a dual engine failure on approach into the Naples airport,” the NTSB stated on Friday.
An NTSB investigator arrived on Friday, with more anticipated on Saturday to document the area and examine the aircraft.
The NTSB anticipates receiving a preliminary report on the crash within 30 days.
Following the crash, the scene was marked by a massive fire and a billowing cloud of black smoke.
Joe Robinson told ABC News he was heading northbound on I-75 in Naples when he noticed the smoke.
“I quickly realised that it was a private jet on the southbound lane that was completely crashed, engulfed in flames,” he told reporters.
He said he also saw a damaged truck off the highway.
“Overall it was just a chaotic, intense scene,” Robinson said.
According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, a six-mile stretch of Interstate 75 would be closed for at least 24 hours, and local officials advised travellers to avoid the region while the F.A.A. and the National Transportation Safety Board investigate. Florida Highway Patrol troopers were also on the scene.
More than two hours after the incident, highway cameras saw hundreds of vehicles trapped in gridlock, unable to pass many law enforcement vehicles on the site.
According to FlightAware, a flight tracking service, the aircraft, which officials identified as N823KD, was due to fly from Naples to Fort Lauderdale on Friday afternoon.
Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter, a private jet travel firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lists a Challenger 604 with the registration number N823KD as part of its fleet. The jet can accommodate up to 12 passengers, according to the business, which did not immediately reply to demands for comment on Friday.