Latest news with #TallahasseeInternationalAirport
CBS News
07-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Plane that crashed and killed 3 in Boca Raton had rudder issues immediately after takeoff, NTSB says
New details have been released from the Boca Raton plane crash that killed three people in April, revealing that the small aircraft was experiencing rudder issues immediately after takeoff. During the late morning of April 11, a Cessna 310R departed from Boca Raton Airport bound for Tallahassee International Airport and crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all three family members onboard: 81-year-old Robert Stark, 54-year-old Stephen Stark and 17-year-old Brooke Stark. A person on the ground, 24-year-old Pablo Tafur, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after losing control of his car while driving through the crash's fireball and crashing into a nearby tree. On Wednesday, the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the crash, revealing some of the circumstances surrounding the accident. The plane's rudder could only turn left According to the NTSB, the crash happened during the aircraft's first flight following an annual inspection and was conducted under Part 91 for personal use. Surveillance and witness video obtained by the NTSB showed that the plane veered left immediately after takeoff and entered continuous left turns. "Shortly after rotation, the airplane yawed to the left and continued in a left turn until the plane went out of view," the NTSB described from one of the videos. Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the plane made at least nine 360-degree turns, indicating that the aircraft could only make left turns and that one of the pilots reported having issues with the rudder. "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 said. As the plane went down, it initially struck trees in a road median before making impact on Military Trail near Interstate 95 and continued to a set of Tri-Rail tracks. The wreckage was extensively fragmented and burned, the NTSB said. "The wreckage was highly fragmented, and there was a [post-impact] fire," the agency noted. During its findings, the NTSB found that the plane's fuselage, including the cockpit, sustained "significant thermal damage" from the fire and most of the fuselage and cockpit had been consumed by the flames. Additionally, all the major components of the airplane were found at the crash site. According to the NTSB, when the rudder was found, it exhibited impact and thermal damage, and the rudder continuity was intact for the right side. However, the left ruddle cable had fractured at both ends, showing signs of tension overload. "The left rudder cable was fractured near the rudder pedal attach point and at the rudder bellcrank," the NTSB said. "The separated cable ends exhibited a splayed, broomstrawed appearance, consistent with tension overload separation." From its findings, the NTSB said the damage suggested there was a possible rudder control malfunction that limited right turns. When it came to the flight controls, the NTSB found that continuity was generally established for aileron and elevator systems, with breaks consistent with impact forces and recover efforts. According to the NTSB, investigators found that both engines showed impact damage but had signs of normal operation before the crash, and that the propellers exhibited torsional and bending deformation, consistent with power at impact. Following it preliminary investigation, the NTSB concluded that the plane experienced a rudder control issue shortly after takeoff, restricting it to only turn left. Despite both engines operating normally, the inability to control the rudder likely led the pilots to lose control of the aircraft and crash. The NTSB said the crash will be investigated further to determine exact causes.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Plane Seen Flying Erratically Before Fatal Crash in Boca Raton
Eyewitness video showed a small plane flying erratically over Boca Raton, Florida, before it crashed near an airport on Friday, April 11, killing three people. The Cessna 310R took off from Boca Raton Airport and was heading to Tallahassee International Airport when it came down in the area of North Military Trail and Glades Road. Aircraft tracker Flightradar24 said flight tracking data indicated that plane had been 'trying to return' to Boca Raton Airport 'shortly after takeoff' when the crash occurred. Credit: Brianna Lavrich via Storyful
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mechanical issues after Boca Raton takeoff to TLH, a baffling flight path and 3 dead
BOCA RATON — Three people were killed and another injured after a six-seater Cessna 310 plane crashed onto Military Trail near Glades Road on Friday morning. The plane had departed Boca Raton Airport around 10:12 a.m. and was carrying a pilot and two passengers. It made a series of bizarre loops and witnesses said it was dangerously close to the ground before it crashed onto the busy street where, remarkably, only affected one driver. Bound for Tallahassee International Airport, the aircraft hit the ground and immediately erupted into flames, sending up large plumes of smoke that nearby homes, offices and schools witnessed. The crash did not directly hit anyone, but it forced a northbound driver of a Toyota Prius to swerve and hit a tree. The driver, who suffered minor injuries, was able to exit the car and find safety despite being surrounded by fireballs and smoke. 'Three souls were on board, and we can confirm they were all fatalities,' Boca Raton Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Michael LaSalle told reporters shortly after the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation, but said that local authorities — presumably Boca Raton Police — would release the names of the deceased. The plane was six-seater built in 1977, a NTSB spokesman said. It was in the air for about 8-10 minutes before it hit the ground. Fire rescue crews were able to extinguish the fire, leaving the charred wreckage across the road and on the nearby train tracks. Kurt Gibson, the spokesman, did not offer any clues as to why the plane went down other than to say, "our mission is to figure out what happens, why it happens and what we can do to prevent it from happening again." He said the wreckage of the aircraft, which had a registration number N8930N, will be examined on the ground before being transported to a salvage facility in Jacksonville for further analysis. The aircraft had "some mechanical issues at takeoff and went down on Military Trail, about a mile from the airport," LaSalle said. Shortly after takeoff, the plane ventured in an unconventional path, circling the airport and the vicinity of Boca Raton, playback data from FlightRadar24 indicates. The multiple circular paths suggest the pilot was struggling to straighten the path of the aircraft, but officials were not sure what the cause was for the irregular direction. Gibson said the standard procedure for the investigation will be a preliminary report in 30 days followed by a 12-24 month report that will offer final analysis and probable cause for the crash. He said although the plane was built nearly 50 years ago, there are "thousands of other planes that are older" and that all planes are fully inspected and certified before flying. The plane does not have a recording "black box" but Gibson said there are other parameters that will be able to help with the investigation. He added that multiple factors will go into the investigation, including pilot qualifications, 72-hour history for the pilot, maintenance records, wreckage details and environmental factors. Aside from the NTSB investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are actively investigating the cause of the crash. The twin-engine plane is registered to Reprop LLC 310 Series, a corporation in Wilmington, Delaware, Federal Aviation Administration records show. Senator Lori Berman (D-Boca Raton) said her thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased. 'I am incredibly grateful to the first responders, law enforcement officers, and emergency personnel who arrived with urgency and bravery at the scene," Berman said in a statement. "Their swift action helped prevent further tragedy in an unthinkable situation. The loss of life in such a sudden and violent manner is heartbreaking, and my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected." BOCA PLANE CRASH: NTSB says plane was built in 1977 and was in air 8-10 minutes BOCA PLANE CRASH: Photos, videos from deadly crash scene in Florida BOCA PLANE CRASH: Social media reactions, videos from Florida tragedy Boca Raton Scott Singer also addressed the media Friday. 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community. At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities,' he said. 'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue." North Military Trail between Northwest 19th Street and Butts Road remained closed Friday night. The Interstate 95 overpass at Glades Road eastbound and westbound reopened around 2 p.m., Boca Police said. Friday's crash came one day after a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York, killing six people. Boca Raton's airport is a state-owned, public-use airport about 2 miles northwest of downtown. It's adjacent to Florida Atlantic University and can be seen from Interstate 95. It is designated as a general aviation transport facility governed by a seven-member Authority appointed by the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County Commission. The Boca Raton Airport has been a safe airport over the years. The last significant crash came in 2000, according to the Flight Safety Foundation. A Learjet 55 collided after takeoff at 2,400 feet southwest of the airport with an Extra – EA3005 — that had departed the Pompano Air Park. Four were killed. Ultimately, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled pilot error for failing to maintain a visual lookout for other planes. Also, in February 2025, an Embraer Praetor 600 jet hit a bird during a charter flight near the airport that damaged the plane's nose. There were no injuries. Anyone who has audio or video information is encouraged to contact authorities at witness@ Jessica Abramsky contributed to this 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: Florida plane crash: Mechanical issues put Cessna in instant trouble
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Plane crashes in Florida, killing 3 on board
BOCA RATON, Fla. (WTVO) — A small plane crashed in Boca Raton, Florida, causing a fiery explosion and three people to die. The crash took place near Military Trail and Glades Road. The crash was close to Boca Raton Airport. The Cessna 310 was carrying three people and crashed around 10:20 a.m. while it headed to Tallahassee International Airport. The three people who died have yet to be identified. Pablo Tafur, a driver who sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, said he was going to work when he had to swerve out of the way to avoid the falling plane. 'I saw the plane fly low and continued through and next thing I know it's on top, right in front of me and exploded, impacted right in front of my car and it crashed I tried to steer out of the way but it was pretty much unavoidable,' Tafur told . 'Got out of the car that was on fire, through the flames, and made it to safety.' Boca Raton Police closed the streets where the investigation is still taking place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Three people killed and one injured in Florida plane crash
Three people are dead after a small plane crashed in Boca Raton, Florida Friday afternoon. The aircraft, a Cessna 310, crashed around 10.20am after departing from Boca Raton Airport around 10.13am. The plane was heading to Tallahassee International Airport. Data from Flightradar24 showed the plane trying to return to the Boca airport shortly after takeoff. The Cessna 310R is a twin prop aircraft capable of seating up to six people. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident and will provide updates. Around 12.30pm, police confirmed the three people on board the aircraft did not survive. A fourth person on the ground was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries. Michael LaSalle, assistant fire chief for Boca Fire Rescue, said officials responded to a call about an aircraft in distress. He said the plane was experiencing mechanical issues before it went down. Social media footage showed smoke plumes rising from the impact site. Police closed roads in the area due to the crash, including the I-95 overpass at Glades Road eastbound and westbound. Officials are asking commuters to avoid the area. This is a developing story...
