Fla. Air Traffic Controller Dies in Fiery Crash After Plane He's Piloting Lands on Miami Bridge and Hits Van

instagram Narciso Torres

A veteran Miami airport traffic controller was killed when the single-engine plane he was piloting crash-landed on a bridge Saturday afternoon, erupting into flames after it hit a minivan head-on, authorities say.

At 1 p.m., Narciso Torres, 36, of Miami, was flying a Cessna 172 from Hollywood, Florida, to Key West when the engine lost power, his union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, confirmed in a statement, The Miami Herald was the first to report.

As the plane began to lose altitude, Torres tried to land the plane on the Haulover Inlet Bridge in Miami, NATCA said in the statement.

The plane flipped when it struck the bridge and crashed into a minivan carrying a mother and her two small children, ages 6 and 2, the Federal Aviation Administration said, NBC Miami reported.

The mother, identified by officials as Aida Kazakova, 34, of Sunny Isles Beach, and her two children were taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not sustain serious injuries, the Miami-Dade Police Department told NBC Miami.

The two passengers inside the plane were able to get out following the crash and were then hospitalized, officials told NBC Miami. They were relatives of the pilot, and one is recovering from extensive burns in the hospital, ABC station WPLG reported.

Torres was the only person killed.

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The plane had taken off at about 12:38 p.m. from North Perry Airport in Hollywood, according to AOPA.com.

Torres was flying south along the coast without incident, according to air traffic control audio recorded by LiveATC.net, AOPA.com reported.

The plane was flying down the coast toward Miami Beach when it "turned sharply north and crossed back over land in Surfside, Florida, descending toward a congested area packed with high-rise condominiums," according to AOPA.com.

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Torres followed along Florida State Road A1A until he reached the bridge and tried to land the plane, AOPA.com said.

The NTSB is investigating the crash, which has left Torres' family, friends and colleagues in mourning.

"This is a terrible tragedy that has sent shock waves throughout our NATCA family," NATCA President Rich Santa said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to Narciso's wife, Jennifer, his entire family, and the many fellow Union brothers and sisters that loved him so much and are now dealing with an unspeakable loss."

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Torres has worked as an air traffic controller since 2008, NATCA said.

"Narciso touched so many people with his warmth and kindness, both within NATCA, in the facilities he worked, and in every interaction he had," Santa added. "He gave so much of his time to representing his members at MIA, and before that at MCO, and worked extremely hard on behalf of this Union to improve the working conditions of all controllers and the safety of the National Airspace System."

Santa said Torres "had such a deep love of all things aviation, and of flying, as evidenced by this flight on a beautiful South Florida day where he was doing what he loved. This loss hurts so deeply. Narciso will never be forgotten."

Torres' best friend, Carlos Montilla, set up a GoFundMe to help Torres' widow, Jennifer, and their three children.

Torres, he wrote in the GoFundMe, "tragically passed away doing what he loved. Undoubtedly, his aviation experience and expert pilotage helped save the lives of his loved ones onboard as well as any bystanders on the ground.

His longtime friend "was a loving husband and amazing father to three school aged children.

"From a young age, Narciso's life has been centered around his love for aviation and flying," he wrote.

"His passion for helping and representing others in times of need is what defined him as a true leader.

"Since the tragedy, many people have reached out, asking how they can help. I've decided this fundraiser would be the best and most direct way to assist the family with the critical resources they need during this difficult time. His beloved wife Jennifer and their children will be the sole recipients of these funds."