Two individuals have perished and three others have sustained injuries following the crash of a small aircraft into a Florida highway on Friday afternoon. According to police, the incident occurred as a result of simultaneous failure of both engines.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft collided with Interstate 75 near Naples at around 3:15 p.m. ET. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, it encountered a vehicle collision.
According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the collision has resulted in two verified deaths. The sheriff’s office named the individuals on Saturday as pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, aged 50, from Oakland Park, Florida, and second-in-command Ian Frederick Hofmann, aged 65, from Pompano Beach, Florida.
Hofmann’s family expressed their profound sorrow and devastation at his passing in a statement to ABC News.
An undated snapshot depicts Ian Hofmann.Photo byabcnews
The family stated that their father perished like a hero, exerting maximum effort to rescue as many individuals as possible aboard the aircraft.
According to the sheriff’s office, three individuals managed to survive the crash: one crew member and two passengers. Three individuals who managed to survive were recorded on tape by a witness while fleeing from the remains of the incident. As per the sheriff’s office, they were sent to a local hospital to receive medical care for injuries that were not disclosed.
The FAA, in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board, is investigating the accident of a Bombardier Challenger 600 aircraft, which had a total of five individuals on board.