A Cessna 310 model small plane with three people on board crashed Friday morning, April 11, 2025, near the I-95 interstate highway in Boca Raton, Florida, killing all occupants of the aircraft and injuring one person, local and federal authorities confirmed.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA), the small plane had taken off from Boca Raton Airport bound for Tallahassee, but crashed to land at 10:20 a.m., generating a large explosion on impact that formed a fireball visible from several blocks around.
Chaos on the highway
The collision not only ended the lives of the crew members, but also affected a person traveling in a nearby car.
The vehicle was propelled by the explosion onto the railroad tracks, forcing the closure of part of the rail system and several streets near the airport and I-95.
Boca Raton Deputy Fire Chief Michael LaSalle confirmed that the injured person was treated and transported with non-life threatening injuries.
He also asked the community to avoid the area while the investigation and debris removal efforts continue.
Moments of panic
Josh Orsino, a 31-year-old driver, recounted that he was stopped at a traffic light when he heard an explosion and saw a fireball approaching, “I saw palm trees start to catch fire.”
I thought it was a gas explosion or a multiple crash
Josh Orsino
Miguel Coka, 51, an office worker near the airport, said he and his colleagues felt a roar before seeing the flames from the balcony:
“We’re used to seeing planes go low, but this was different. The whole building vibrated.”
They ask for respect and patience
Buzzy
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer issued a statement lamenting the tragedy after a small plane crashed:
“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We ask for respect as the investigation unfolds.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, in collaboration with the FAA, to determine the causes of the accident.
This comes on top of a tragic week for aviation, following the crash of a tourist helicopter in New York that left six dead the day before.
For more information, visit QueOnnda.com.
