A tragic small plane crash near Boca Raton Airport in Florida on Saturday morning resulted in the deaths of all three people on board and injured a driver in a vehicle on the ground.
Boca Raton Police identified the deceased as 81-year-old Robert Stark, 54-year-old Steven Stark, and 17-year-old Brooke Stark. The victims were reportedly family members, adding to the sorrow surrounding the incident. Pablo Tapia, 24, the driver of a Toyota vehicle at the time of the crash, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is receiving treatment.
NBC News, citing an unnamed source, reported that the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft had reported a rudder issue[1] shortly before the crash.
The Cessna 310 aircraft had departed from Boca Raton Airport en route to Tallahassee International Airport when it crashed around 10:20 a.m. ET near Military Trail and the Glades Road overpass.
Jared Skarpato, a student pilot who witnessed the crash, said he was outside with his instructor when he saw the plane flying "too fast and too low." He recounted the tense moments, saying, "I yelled, 'That plane's too low.' The second it went out of view, I figured something terrible was going to happen."
NBC South Florida reported that the plane appeared to be circling in the air before attempting to return to Boca Raton Airport. Witnesses working in nearby buildings reported seeing the plane flying low and then feeling their buildings shake.
Immediately after the crash, the plane burst into flames. Police stated that Tapia's Toyota Prius, traveling on Military Trail, "lost control in the blaze and struck a tree."
Video footage from the scene showed debris scattered widely across the road and railroad tracks. NBC South Florida reported seeing two bodies within the wreckage, along with the damaged vehicle.
Police announced via X (formerly Twitter) just before 11 a.m. that Military Trail was closed between Glades Road due to the accident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the exact cause of the crash.
During a news conference about the incident, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said, "On behalf of the city, we extend our deepest condolences for this tragic loss of life."
Boca Raton Airport was temporarily shut down following the crash. According to police, the northbound closure of Military Trail is expected to remain in place throughout the weekend.
Note: [1] The rudder is a primary control surface located on the tail of an aircraft that controls yaw, or the side-to-side movement of the nose.
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