Latest news with #StephenStark
Washington Post
08-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Pilot of small plane reported a rudder problem before crash that killed 3
BOCA RATON, Fla. — One of the pilots of a small plane that crashed last month in South Florida, killing all three people on board, reported only being able to make left turns with the rudder before the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, according to federal investigators. The Cessna 310 veered to the left after taking off from Boca Raton Airport and then made up to nine full-circle turns to the left before crashing into trees in the middle of a road. The Tallahassee-bound plane burst into flames and then skidded 370 feet (115 meters) until it rested on railroad tracks, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday from the National Transportation Safety Board. It was the first flight after the airplane's annual inspection had been completed. News outlets reported that 17-year-old Delray Beach high school student Brooke Stark; her 54-year-old father, Stephen Stark; and her 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Stark, were killed in the April 11 crash. Both Stephen and Robert Stark were certified pilots, authorities said. A person in a car on the ground suffered a minor injury.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Pilot of small plane reported a rudder problem before crash that killed 3
One of the pilots of a small plane that crashed last month in South Florida, killing all three people on board, reported only being able to make left turns with the rudder before the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, according to federal investigators. The Cessna 310 veered to the left after taking off from Boca Raton Airport and then made up to nine full-circle turns to the left before crashing into trees in the middle of a road. The Tallahassee-bound plane burst into flames and then skidded 370 feet (115 meters) until it rested on railroad tracks, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday from the National Transportation Safety Board. It was the first flight after the airplane's annual inspection had been completed. News outlets reported that 17-year-old Delray Beach high school student Brooke Stark; her 54-year-old father, Stephen Stark; and her 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Stark, were killed in the April 11 crash. Both Stephen and Robert Stark were certified pilots, authorities said. A person in a car on the ground suffered a minor injury.
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Pilot of small plane reported a rudder problem before crash that killed 3
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — One of the pilots of a small plane that crashed last month in South Florida, killing all three people on board, reported only being able to make left turns with the rudder before the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, according to federal investigators. The Cessna 310 veered to the left after taking off from Boca Raton Airport and then made up to nine full-circle turns to the left before crashing into trees in the middle of a road. The Tallahassee-bound plane burst into flames and then skidded 370 feet (115 meters) until it rested on railroad tracks, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday from the National Transportation Safety Board. It was the first flight after the airplane's annual inspection had been completed. News outlets reported that 17-year-old Delray Beach high school student Brooke Stark; her 54-year-old father, Stephen Stark; and her 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Stark, were killed in the April 11 crash. Both Stephen and Robert Stark were certified pilots, authorities said. A person in a car on the ground suffered a minor injury.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pilot could ‘only make left turns' before deadly Boca Raton plane crash: NTSB report
BOCA RATON, Fla. (WFLA) — One of the pilots of a small plane that crashed in Boca Raton last month reported they were having a rudder problem and could only make left turns, according to a new report released Wednesday. The fiery April 11 crash near the Boca Raton Airport left three family members dead: 17-year-old Brooke Stark, her 54-year-old father, Stephen Stark, and 81-year-old grandfather, Robert Stark. The plane nearly hit a driver as it came crashing down next to his car, but the man survived with only minor injuries. Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash Wednesday's preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the Cessna 310, which was bound for Tallahassee International Airport, was only in the air for 11 minutes before it went down. The plane had just taken off from the Boca Raton Airport in its first flight since having its annual inspection completed. Almost immediately after takeoff, the plane began drifting to the left, the report said. The plane then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of full circle loops. 'According to preliminary air traffic control recordings, one of the pilots reported that they were having a problem with the airplane's rudder and that they could only make left turns,' the NTSB wrote in its report. The plane came crashing down on its ninth turn, hitting several trees in the median of the road and bursting into flames as it struck a set of railroad tracks. The NTSB said the fuselage, including the cockpit, sustained significant damage from the fire, and most of it was 'consumed.' The aircraft's rudder was found near the crash site, and the wreckage was retained for further examination. It could take up to two years before a final report is released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Boca Raton plane crash: NTSB report reveals pilot was only able to make left turns
BOCA RATON — The six-seater Cessna 310 plane that crashed moments after taking off from the Boca Raton Airport in April was on its first flight after an annual inspection, according to a preliminary report released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane was airborne for about 10 minutes the morning of April 11 before it crashed, killing all three of its occupants and injuring one person on the ground. The victims were Robert Stark, 81, of Boca Raton; and Stephen Stark, 54, and Brooke Stark, 17, both of Delray Beach. Airport surveillance footage captured a portion of the plane's taxi and departure, the NTSB report stated. It shows that the plane maintained the centerline of the runway during takeoff, but, shortly after, veered to the left. Videos taken by witnesses continued showing the plane moving left at a low altitude. "According to preliminary air traffic control recordings, one of the pilots reported that they were having a problem with the airplane's rudder and that they could only make left turns," the report stated. The plane's initial impact point, according to the report, was identified as several trees in the median of the road. The aircraft then hit the road and continued about 370 feet from the initial crash point until it reached the railroad tracks near Military Trail and Glades Road. The farthest piece of wreckage identified during the preliminary investigation was the left engine. It was found more than 300 feet past the main wreckage location at the railroad tracks. Emergency officials stand near the scene of a small plane crash that killed three people on Military Tr. in Boca Raton Friday April 11, 2025. "The wreckage was highly fragmented," the report stated. "The fuselage, including the cockpit, sustained significant thermal damage from the postimpact fire, and most of the fuselage and cockpit had been consumed." All major components of the plane were located at the accident site, including the rudder, which investigators said showed "impact and thermal damage." an airline tracking website, shows the path of the Cessna 310R that made multiple loops over Boca Raton before crashing on Military Trail around 10:20 a.m. The crash did not directly hit anyone on the ground, but it forced a northbound driver of a 2017 Toyota Prius, Pablo Tafur, 24, was forced to swerve and hit a tree, police said. Tafur, who suffered minor injuries, was able to exit the car and find safety. One local pilot with four decades of aviation experience said it was remarkable the plane's pilot was able to keep the plane in the air for as long as he did. BOCA PLANE CRASH: Victims were headed to Florida State for teenager's college visit BOCA PLANE CRASH: Some 911 callers were alarmed even before plane crashed, killing 3 BOCA PLANE CRASH: Aviation expert says pilot 'really fought that airplane' "I'm shocked they didn't crash immediately after takeoff," said Matthew "Whiz" Buckley, an F/A-18 fighter pilot and former commercial pilot for American Airlines. The elder Starks were the grandfather and father of Brooke Stark, the teenager on board, said Buckley, a friend of the family. Both Robert and Stephen Stark were certified pilots, Federal Aviation Administration records show. "They were battling that airplane to bring it down safely, to save this young girl," Buckley said. "These two guys are heroes, easily. They really fought that airplane." Two girls, friends of Boca Raton plane crash victim Brooke Stark, sit next to a memorial of flowers and photographs to remember the victims of the Friday, April 11, 2025 plane crash. The memorial is at the crash site on Military Trail near the Glades Road overpass. The plane's wreckage was retained for further examination. The preliminary report contains only factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation, an NTSB spokesperson said. A typical NTSB investigation can take up to two years to complete. A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report. Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@ and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton plane crash: Aircraft had just been inspected
