A private plane with five people on board crashed into several cars on a Florida highway on Friday afternoon, causing a massive explosion and killing at least two people, authorities said.
.jpg){kind=tracking}
The plane, a Piper PA-32, landed on Interstate 75 near Naples, in Collier County, around 12:30 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane then collided with a vehicle, igniting a fire that engulfed the aircraft and several other cars.
The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that two people died in the crash, but did not specify if they were in the plane or the car. The identities and conditions of the other three people on board the plane were not immediately released.
The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours as firefighters, police, and paramedics responded to the scene. A large plume of black smoke could be seen from miles away.
.jpg){kind=tracking}
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. Witnesses told local media that the plane appeared to have engine trouble before landing on the highway.
The plane was registered to a company based in Delaware, according to FAA records. The flight originated from Opa-locka Executive Airport in Miami-Dade County and was headed to Naples Municipal Airport, about 10 miles from the crash site.
