By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.
Accept
WhatsNew2DayWhatsNew2Day
  • Home
  • Australia
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Entertainment
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • US
  • World
Reading: Four people die after two small planes collided in mid-air and crashed into a lake in Florida
Share
Aa
WhatsNew2DayWhatsNew2Day
Aa
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Australia
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Entertainment
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • US
  • World
Follow US
© 2022 WhatsNew2Day News Network. All Rights Reserved.
WhatsNew2Day > US > Four people die after two small planes collided in mid-air and crashed into a lake in Florida
US

Four people die after two small planes collided in mid-air and crashed into a lake in Florida

Last updated: 2023/03/08 at 11:36 AM
Jacky 2 weeks ago
Share
Four people were killed when a seaplane collided with a fixed-wing aircraft over a lake in Florida on Wednesday afternoon.  In the photo, the seaplane is partially visible on the surface.
SHARE

Four people were killed when two small planes collided over a Florida lake Tuesday afternoon.

One of the two planes, a Piper Cherokee, was being operated by a local training school for Polk State College and was carrying instructor Faith Irene Baker, 24, and student Zachary Jean Mace, 19.

The other plane, a Piper J-3 Cub seaplane, was also carrying two people. One was Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, of Pennsylvania, but the identity of the second person has not yet been released.

The two planes collided around 2:00 p.m. Tuesday over Lake Hartridge, between Orlando and Tampa. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. The lake is right next to the Winter Haven Regional Airport, but it’s unclear how the accident occurred.

On impact, both crashed into the water: the seaplane remained partially visible on the surface while the other sank 21 feet to the bottom of the lake. The four deceased people were the only occupants of the two planes.

Four people were killed when a seaplane collided with a fixed-wing aircraft over a lake in Florida on Wednesday afternoon. In the photo, the seaplane is partially visible on the surface.

Instructor Faith Irene Baker, 24, (pictured center) was flying in the Piper Cherokee with 19-year-old Polk State College student Zachary Jean Mace.

Instructor Faith Irene Baker, 24, (pictured center) was flying in the Piper Cherokee with 19-year-old Polk State College student Zachary Jean Mace.

“Suddenly it was a giant boom,” Caridad Fernández, who lives along the lake, told WESH-TV. “It literally sounded like a rocket takes off and hits the atmosphere.”

Fernandez said she and many of her neighbors about 40 miles southwest of Orlando ran.

“We practically saw everything go down in the water,” he said.

‘It was just a helicopter after a helicopter after the police siren. They all just walked in,” she added.

Rescue teams attended the scene and a diving team was sent to examine the submerged plane. Four bodies were removed from the planes, the sheriff said.

Baker was a pilot and flight instructor with Sunrise Aviation, which provides flight training to students at Florida State College in Jacksonville and Polk State University in Lakeland.

Mace was a student at Polk State College and they were both from Winter Haven.

The Piper J-3 Cub (pictured) carrying Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, of Pennsylvania, remained floating on the surface of the lake.

The Piper J-3 Cub (pictured) carrying Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, of Pennsylvania, remained floating on the surface of the lake.

The two planes collided around 2 pm Tuesday over Lake Hartridge, between Orlando and Tampa, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

The two planes collided around 2 pm Tuesday over Lake Hartridge, between Orlando and Tampa, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

“Our Polk State College family is devastated by this tragedy,” said Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti. “We express our deepest condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.”

Crawford of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and one other person were aboard the seaplane.

The second person’s name was not released as next of kin had not been contacted, Judd said. That plane was operated by Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base at Lake Jessie, which sits next to Lake Hartridge.

A nearby church, the Church of the People, released a statement Wednesday morning paying tribute to Baker.

“We are in mourning with all the families involved, but one of the victims of the accident was our own Faith Baker. Faith was a lover of Jesus, an invaluable member of our worship team, and a sweet, sweet young lady,” she would say. “Pray for her husband, Johnathan, and her parents as they go through this difficult time.”

On Tuesday night, the Polk County Sheriff's Department said it was no longer running a search and rescue operation, but rather a recovery operation.

On Tuesday night, the Polk County Sheriff’s Department said it was no longer running a search and rescue operation, but rather a recovery operation.

The sheriff's department said the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will investigate what caused the collision.

The sheriff’s department said the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will investigate what caused the collision.

Fernández described how the accident had shocked the community.

“There are children on our lake, there are people jet skiing on our lake,” Fernández said. That’s the lake I grew up on. That’s something we’d do tubing and everything else and now it’s kind of scary.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will investigate what caused the collision.

“Please keep the families in your prayers during this difficult and stressful time,” Judd said.

You Might Also Like

Jervis Bay, NSW: Navy helicopter with 10 on board crashes into ocean during training exercise

Lea Michele says her two-year-old son Ever Leo Reich has been hospitalized with ‘a terrifying health problem’

Blinken ADMITS that parts of Mexico are controlled by cartels, not the government

Democratic lawmaker urges University of Pittsburgh to cancel three ‘anti-trans’ speakers

How Your Parents’ Netflix Password Reveals Who Their Favorite Child Is

TAGGED: collided, crashed, dailymail, die, Florida, Lake, midair, news, Pennsylvania, people, planes, small
Jacky March 8, 2023
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Share
Previous Article Minnesota Wild players on the ice. Minnesota Wild players ditch their Pride jerseys for the team’s annual event in support of the LGBTQ community
Next Article Apple, Security, Rapid Security Response, iOS 16, Jamf, Mobile, Mac, macOS Why you should use Apple’s Rapid Security Response

Latest

Zion authorized for activity, will miss 2 more weeks
Zion authorized for activity, will miss 2 more weeks
Sports
Ten Australian Defense Force personnel have survived an army helicopter crash in the water off the south coast of New South Wales during a routine training exercise (file image)
Jervis Bay, NSW: Navy helicopter with 10 on board crashes into ocean during training exercise
Australia
The latest: Lea Michele, 36, announced on Instagram Wednesday that her two-year-old son Ever Leo Reich has been hospitalized with
Lea Michele says her two-year-old son Ever Leo Reich has been hospitalized with ‘a terrifying health problem’
Entertainment
Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Wednesday that he believes parts of Mexico are controlled by drug cartels and not by the Mexican government.
Blinken ADMITS that parts of Mexico are controlled by cartels, not the government
News
Ubisoft is testing an AI tool that writes NPC dialogue
Ubisoft is testing an AI tool that writes NPC dialogue
Gaming
Prince William surprise visits British troops on the Ukrainian border
Prince William surprise visits British troops on the Ukrainian border
News

nba 2k23 mt

© WhatsNew2Day News Network. All Rights Reserved. Email: contact@whatsnew2day.com

  • Home
  • Contact
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?