New information has surfaced regarding the tragic incident in February where a small plane crashed into a mobile home park in Clearwater, Florida, resulting in three fatalities.
According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released on Tuesday, witnesses at Clearwater Air Park reported that the pilot of the Beech 35 aircraft was unable to find the airport. Despite requests to illuminate the runway – which was already lit due to a recent landing – and subsequent adjustments by air traffic control to maximize the lighting intensity, the pilot, identified as 54-year-old Jemin Patel of Melbourne Beach, failed to locate the landing strip.
Communications between Patel and air traffic control revealed that the pilot encountered a fire onboard and decided to divert to Albert Whitted Airport upon failing to find Clearwater Air Park (CLW). As the situation deteriorated, with the pilot reporting a loss of engine power, air traffic controllers attempted to guide him towards the nearby St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, located three miles ahead. However, no further communication was received from the aircraft.
Eyewitness accounts, including those from another pilot and a car passenger, described seeing a bright light, characterized by the passenger as a “fireball,” moments before the plane’s crash. The crash resulted in the deaths of the pilot and two individuals in a mobile home, identified as 86-year-old Martha Perry and 54-year-old Mary Ellen Pender, with Perry being a resident and Pender a visitor. Additionally, one other person sustained minor injuries.
The accident led to four homes being engulfed in flames, which were promptly extinguished by firefighting teams. The NTSB has stated that it is examining video footage from nearby commercial businesses and has collected wreckage from the scene for further analysis as part of its ongoing investigation into the crash.
