CLEARWATER, Fla. – A small aircraft slammed into the Bayside Waters mobile home park in Clearwater Thursday evening, setting fire to multiple residences and killing “several people,” fire officials said.
The plane that crashed about 7:08 p.m. was described as a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35, according to the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department, NBC News reported.
The FAA said in a statement that the pilot of the plane reported engine failure before going down. The tragedy resulted in “several fatalities, both from the aircraft and within the mobile home,” according to Clearwater Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Ehlers, reported the New York Post.
However, NBC later reported, “The victims include one person on the aircraft and two on the ground, according to the FAA.”
The small aircraft primarily smashed into one home, but a total of three sustained fire damage, Chief Ehlers said.
Beechcraft Bonanza V35 (Courtesy Bidgee – Wikipedia Commons)
The Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department released video showing the horrific scene, with the plane wreckage still smoldering next to charred buildings and trees.
We’re on scene of a small plane crash at a mobile home park south of Clearwater Mall. Multiple mobile homes have caught fire. Firefighters from multiple jurisdictions are on scene. pic.twitter.com/1vBLnTnY8R
— Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department (@clearwaterfire) February 2, 2024
Another video posted on social media by @IONTB shows massive flames engulfing a residence from a distance.
View from my apartment next door pic.twitter.com/6CejX1XUIp
— Steven Ascari (@stevenascari) February 2, 2024
Chief Ehlers said the flames were quickly extinguished.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash in conjunction with the FAA.
