A jet burst into flames after it crashed and collided with a vehicle on Interstate 75 in Collier County on Friday, killing two people.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash after 3:15 p.m. on the southbound lanes near mile marker 107, or Pine Ridge Road, in Naples.
Video showed the aftermath of the fiery crash that sent plumes of black smoke into the sky.
Five people were onboard, according to the Florida Aviation Administration. Two people have died, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. They couldn’t confirm whether they were from the jet or the car.
Witness Garrett Elsinger describes a fiery crash involving a jet and at least one car on I-75 in Southwest Florida.
The jet — a Bombardier Challenger 600 — was traveling from Ohio and lost both engines, WBBH reported. It was scheduled to leave Naples and head to Fort Lauderdale.
Broward County resident Garrett Elsinger told NBC6 he was driving with his son to Tampa when they heard an explosion and saw orange flames and what they thought was a car accident.
“Within a few seconds, we were getting closer, and we’re like, wait a minute — that’s not a car, that’s a plane,” Elsinger said. “Thick, black smoke is billowing up and as we’re getting closer, I’m like, that’s not a small Cessna plane that you read about that came and landed on the highway, that’s a jet — that’s a big passenger plane.”
Troopers closed I-75 for the investigation until further notice.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, and the FHP is investigating the highway crash.
Further information was not available. Check back with NBC6 for updates.
