Two people have died after a small plane attempted to make an emergency landing on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida on Friday afternoon, colliding with a vehicle and bringing traffic to a halt as a massive plume of black smoke rose into the air.
The crash landing happened near the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County, just north of where the interstate heads east toward Fort Lauderdale along what is known as Alligator Alley.
Brianna Walker saw the wing of the plane drag the car in front of hers and slam into a wall. “It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” she said. “The wing pulverized this one car.”
Ms Walker and her friend 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 skidded across the highway.”
Ms Walker said an explosion of flames then burst from the plane with a loud boom. Pieces of the plane littered the highway.