Elderly Couple Killed After Small Plane Crashes in the Front Yard of a Florida Home
Two people have tragically died after a small plane crashed in the front yard of a Florida home.
The accident happened just after 11 a.m. on Thursday, less than a mile away from the Bartow Executive Airport, which is east of Tampa, Florida, Fox 13 reported.
While no one on the ground was injured in the crash, an elderly couple — on board the aircraft during the flight — died. The pair have been identified as Port Orange, Florida, residents Bonnie Powell, 73, and Dennis Powell, 76, according to Fox 13.
Although there was some damage to the home’s driveway and a tree in the front yard, no houses were effected, the outlet reported.
“Bartow was in communication with them. There did not appear to be anything going on. But for some unknown reason, they just lost altitude and crashed pretty much nose in,” said a Polk County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson to the outlet.
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The Polk County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Video footage shared by 10 News WTSP showed the aircraft in shambles. Neighbors told the outlet that it’s not uncommon for planes to fly low in the area, considering how close the location is to the airport.
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A resident in the neighborhood told Fox 13 the plane could be heard overhead just before it crashed.
“We heard it coming across and, all of a sudden, we heard the thump and we knew what had happened,” Roland Cook said. “Hopefully, it is just a once in a lifetime thing.”
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash, NBC 6 reported.
