PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Four people were hospitalized Sunday night after a small plane crashed in Pembroke Pines.
Three of those people are family members and they are expected to return home from the hospital on Monday with minor injuries to include lacerations, bumps and scrapes.
5 p.m. report:
Pembroke Pines police and Fire Rescue responded to the crash in the area of Southwest 14th Street and 68th Boulevard after the plane, intending to land at North Perry Airport, crashed into a tree.
“It’s a scary incident,” said Ethan Wolfe, boyfriend to one of the victims.
Wolfe said his girlfriend, her parents and another person were aboard the flight.
“I was very relieved that they were all okay, that’s pretty awesome for everyone,” said Wolfe. “They just said something went wrong and just didn’t get any lift. I think it was all something with the plane.”
Home surveillance video captured the wreck.
“I grabbed the water hose right away, kept it on the fire while the engine was burning,” witness TJ Jordan said.
Jordan and his neighbors rushed toward the smoke and flames after the small Cessna crashed just feet from their homes.
“One grabbed an axe, one grabbed a fire extinguisher, one grabbed a hose,” Giovanna Hanley said.
Hanley said her father-in-law, who happens to be a first responder, was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
“My father-in-law started giving care to the individuals on the plane,” she said.
Video shows neighbors using a garden hose and, with teamwork, they tried to fight back the flames.
Per airport communications, the National Transportation Safety Board said the Cessna T337G was inbound to land at North Perry Airport prior to crashing a mile from reaching the runway for what they are currently saying are “unknown reasons”.
“He was probably using the street as a landing strip, but then he ran into this big oak tree, and that took em’ out,” neighbor Robert Cox said.
The flight origin showed to be in Turks and Caicos, according to FlightAware.
Police said the pilot, along with three passengers, were removed from the plane and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital where one patient is currently listed as a Trauma Level 1 with the three others labeled as Trauma Level 2.
Southwest 14th Street between 72nd and 66th Avenue were closed temporarily, as the NTSB investigated the cause of the crash.
For people who live in the neighborhood, the crash is not just a freak accident, but deepens their fear, as they’ve already experienced a plane crash in the area before.
“This is not the first crash we’ve experienced here in Pines Village,” one resident said. “I want to reference and bring continued awareness to the fact that this continues to happen. “
