A Tragic Airplane Crash in Clearwater, Florida
In a tragic incident Thursday night, a plane crashed into a mobile home in Clearwater, Florida, claiming the lives of three people. The victims have been identified as Martha Parry, 86 years old, who lived in the mobile home; Mary Ellen Pender, 54, who was visiting; and the pilot, Jemin Patel, 54.
According to Clearwater police spokesman Rob Shaw, the Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary report stated that the plane crashed into the mobile home park at around 7:30 p.m. under unknown circumstances, resulting in a post-crash fire. The only occupant in the plane was the pilot.
At the time of the crash, there were at least nine people inside the mobile home, but only two remained. Firefighters responded to the scene and found four mobile homes on fire, with the plane “predominantly” in one of them.
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy expressed condolences to the victims and their families, noting that the tragedy could have been even worse. Witnesses reported hearing what sounded like an explosion, followed by a giant column of smoke.
The National Transportation Safety Board plans to remove the debris this Saturday and continue their investigation. In the meantime, local police will remain at the scene.
Clearwater, with a population of over 110,000, is approximately 23 miles west of Tampa on Florida’s central west coast. The NTSB has stated that, during the on-scene phase of the investigation process, they do not determine or speculate on the cause of the accident.
As the community mourns this devastating loss, the full circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.