This past Tuesday, two tiny planes collided over central Florida, killing four people.
After the planes reportedly collided at 2 p.m., search and rescue workers were dispatched to Lake Hartridge, located roughly 50 miles east of Tampa.
Polk County Chief Steve Lester described the incident as an “in-air collision” in which both aircraft plunged into the lake. One plane went down to a depth of 21 feet.
A Piper J-3 Cub seaplane registered to Jack Brown’s Seaplane Station in Winter Haven was identified by investigators as one of the aircraft. Sunrise Aviation of Ormond Beach flew a Cherokee Piper 161 fixed-wing plane for Polk State College.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed three out of the four fatalities. Among them are Fairth Irene Baker, a pilot from Winter Haven who is 24 years old, Zachary Jean Mace, a freshman at Polk State College who is 19 years old, and Randall Elbert Crawford, a retiree from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, who is 67 years old.
It is the stated goal of the sheriff’s office to identify the fourth victim positively.
WREG News Channel 3 covered this news on his official Twitter account:
Four people are dead after two small planes collided in central Florida on Tuesday.https://t.co/bQHDAivcJE
— WREG News Channel 3 (@3onyourside) March 8, 2023
Get your daily dose of news and stay informed about the world around you with our recent news section:
- A DNA Lab Helped Solve A Murder Case In Lexington That Had Been Going On For A Year
- After Chris Rock Netflix Deal, He Slams Will Smith For Oscar Slap
What Sherrif Grady Judd Said?
“My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed in today’s crash. The NTSB and FAA will be investigating the cause and circumstances of the collision. Please keep the families in your prayers during this difficult and stressful time,” Sherrif Grady Judd said.
On Tuesday, police asked locals to stay off the water and told them to stay away from a boat launch in the region. The accident occurred near Winter Haven Regional Airport.
The causes of the accident and their implications have not been made public.
Stay informed and up-to-date with our latest news section.
