From the sunny city of NAPLES, Fla. — A tragic plane crash on a Florida highway claimed the lives of two individuals, identified as the pilot and co-pilot, according to law enforcement officials who released the information on Saturday afternoon.
The unfortunate victims were named by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office as Edward Daniel Murphy, a seasoned pilot of 50 years, and his co-pilot, Ian Frederick Hofmann, aged 65. Miraculously, three individuals survived the crash: crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 23, and passengers Aaron Baker, 35, and Audra Green, 23, both hailing from Columbus, Ohio. They were promptly transported to a local hospital to receive treatment for their injuries, though their current conditions remain undisclosed.
Just moments before the private jet met its fiery end on a Florida highway, the pilot had composedly informed an airport controller that the aircraft “was not going to make the runway” due to the failure of both engines.
The jet, carrying five souls, was en route to the airport in Naples when it attempted an emergency landing on Interstate 75 on Friday afternoon. Eyewitnesses recount a horrifying scene as it collided with a vehicle — the wing of the plane dragging a car before violently slamming into a wall. An explosion ensued, with flames and black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
Federal authorities have since initiated an investigation into the crash, which occurred near Naples, just north of where the interstate veers east toward Fort Lauderdale along the infamous Alligator Alley.
The ill-fated plane had departed from an airport at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, around 1 p.m. It was expected to touch down in Naples around the time of the crash, according to Naples Airport Authority spokesperson Robin King. The pilot had contacted the tower to request an emergency landing.
“Got that. Emergency. Clear to land. Runway. Two. Three,” the air traffic controller responded to the pilot, in audio obtained by The Associated Press.
“We’re clear to land, but we’re not gonna make the runway. We’ve lost both engines,” the pilot replied with an eerie calmness.
Shortly after, the tower lost contact, and airport workers spotted smoke billowing from the interstate just a few miles away, King added.
King further stated that fire trucks equipped with special foam were dispatched to the scene, and three of the five people on board were rescued from the wreckage alive.
Brianna Walker, a witness to the crash, 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 recounted. ”The wing pulverized this one car.”
Walker and her friend had 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.”
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 on Friday afternoon.
Hop-a-Jet announced on Friday night that it had “received confirmed reports of an accident involving one of our leased aircraft near Naples” and would dispatch a team to the crash site, as reported by the Naples Daily News.
“Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our passengers, crew members, and their families,” the statement read. It didn’t provide further details of the crash.
A spokesperson for Ohio State University clarified that the aircraft is not affiliated with the university, and they had no additional information about it.
Federal authorities have stated that a preliminary report about the cause of the crash can be expected in 30 days.
Uncaring: tragic outcome, but accidents happen.