A small plane crashed in Boca Raton Friday morning, killing all three people aboard the aircraft and injuring a person on the ground.
The victims aboard the Cessna 310 were Robert Stark, 81; Stephen Stark, 54; and Brooke Stark, 17.
The crash took place near the intersection of Glades Road and Military Trail, blocking traffic in both directions as well as I-95 while first responders worked the emergency. According to the Boca Raton Police Department, the National Transportation Safety Board is handling the investigation.
“The aircraft had some mechanical issues and went down here on Military Trail,” Boca Raton Assistant Fire Chief and public information officer Michael LaSalle said during a press briefing earlier today.
He added that Boca Raton’s fire and police departments received a call at 10:12 a.m. that there was a “plane in trouble” and they responded to the Boca Raton Airport “per policy.”
The three people aboard the small plane were killed, LaSalle confirmed, and Pablo Tafur, 24, hit a tree with his car while trying to dodge the debris and a “fireball” from the crash. His injuries are non-life threatening.
Lynn University, which has a piloting program, shared on social media that “All Lynn planes are accounted for and all crews are safe.”
“We express our heartbreak at this tragic loss of life,” Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said at the press conference. “We can be grateful in tragic moments like this for the swift action of our Boca Raton Fire Rescue Department and our Boca Raton Police Department, who worked to minimize the harm and respond to the immediate concern from the fire.”
