Several dead as small plane crashes and burns in Florida mobile home park
Fire officials say a small plane has crashed into a home at a Florida mobile home park, killing several people aboard the plane and in the home
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Your support makes all the difference.A small plane crashed at a Florida mobile home park on Thursday, killing several people aboard the plane and in one home, fire officials said.
The pilot of the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35 reported an engine failure shortly before the aircraft went down at about 7 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration reported.
It crashed in the Bayside Waters mobile home park in Clearwater, hitting one home and leaving at least three homes with fire damage, although the flames were quickly doused, Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said at a news conference.
“The aircraft was found in the one structure,” Ehler said.
Ehlers didn't give the exact number of people killed, saying only that several people aboard the plane and in a home died. The FAA said it wasn't clear how many people were on the plane.
Ehlers said the pilot reported an emergency to St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport shortly before the plane went off radar about 3 miles (5 kilometers) north of a runway.
The airport is about 7 miles (11 kilometers) southeast of Clearwater.
Federal investigators would examine the scene, authorities said.