PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A second person has died a day after a small plane took a plunge at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, federal officials said.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the second death in Friday’s crash during a news conference held Saturday afternoon.
According to fire rescue officials, the problems with the Cessna 172 began during takeoff, at around noon.
Roz Atwater, who was taking flight lessons at the airport, said it all happened very fast at about 12 p.m. on the runway.
“We saw all the police, the helicopter and everything coming,” Atwater said after the crash that trapped the two survivors.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Cessna crashed after it veered off the runway. A witness said they heard the engine accelerate and then seconds later heard a loud “BOOM!”
Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue personnel found one person dead and took the survivors who were critically injured out of the plane and away in stretchers to Memorial Regional Hospital as “trauma alerts.”
Fire Rescue personnel also reported controlling a small fuel leak. Hours later, there was a red tarp covering part of the plane. According to FlightAware, the Cessna 172P is registered to Aeroflyin Corp. in Pembroke Pines.
According to the Pembroke Pines Police Department, airport personnel also responded and federal authorities were tasked with investigating the cause of the plane crash.
Watch the 6 p.m. report
Watch the 5 p.m. report
Watch the 4 p.m. report
Watch the 3 p.m. report
Watch the 12 p.m. report
Watch SKY 10 aerial video (No audio)
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Officers are assisting with a plane crash at North Perry Airport. The crash occurred on North Perry Airport property and did not affect any homes, businesses, our roadways outside of the airport.
— Pembroke Pines PD (@PPinesPD) August 4, 2023
The scene remains active while Fire-Rescue and airport personnel investigate. pic.twitter.com/b4ajE1jc18