At least three people are feared dead after a small aircraft crashed in a fiery explosion near Boca Raton Airport on Friday morning, after reportedly suffering mechanical issues mid-flight.
The crash occurred around 10:17 am (local time) near the intersection of Military Trail and Glades Road, not far from the airport. Witnesses reported a loud impact that “shook the whole building,” according to The Telegraph.
The aircraft, identified as a six-seat Cessna 310R, was en route from Boca Raton to Tallahassee when it appeared to circle back toward the airport, potentially in an emergency return attempt.
According to Flightradar24, the plane was in the air for less than 20 minutes before it crashed, striking a car and pushing it onto nearby railroad tracks before erupting in flames.
Lt. Karl Richards of Boca Raton Fire Rescue confirmed that the plane collided with the vehicle during its descent. “The suspect aircraft specifically hit a car,” Richards said, according to The Daily Mail. Local media said three fatalities were likely, though law enforcement has not confirmed the exact number of victims.
Footage from the scene showed several small fires and thick smoke pouring into the sky.
Aerial shots revealed wreckage strewn across the road and train tracks as fire crews doused the remains of the smoldering aircraft. “What appeared to be two bodies were seen in the wreckage,” NBC 6 South Florida reported, adding that a damaged vehicle was also found nearby.
Residents and workers in the area shared videos and photos of the aftermath. “Unfortunately I’m certain lives were lost here today,” one witness wrote online. “Thoughts and prayers to anyone who survived and the families of those who didn’t.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the crash. According to FAA records, the downed aircraft was manufactured in 1977 and registered to a company based in Wilmington, Delaware, The Telegraph reported.
The tragic incident came just a day after a separate fatal crash involving a tour helicopter in New York’s Hudson River, which killed a Spanish family of five and their pilot, underscoring a grim week for aviation-related fatalities.
Authorities in Boca Raton have closed roads in the area and urged the public to avoid the site as investigations continue.
Boca Raton Police confirmed that sections of N Military Trail and nearby intersections were shut down in the wake of the crash. Fire crews have since extinguished the flames.
