Inside U.S: Three reported dead as plane crashes into trailer park

Voice Air Media, News Update

A preliminary FAA report published Friday morning shows three people were killed Thursday evening in a fiery crash when a small plane smashed into a mobile home park in Clearwater, Florida.

The Federal Aviation Administration report’s list of three fatalities indicates one among the flight crew and two people on the ground. The crash occurred at 7:27 p.m. on Thursday.

The FAA notes the “aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances into a mobile home park,” and reports there was a “post crash fire.”

There were no other occupants on the plane besides the pilot, according to the FAA.

Firefighters responded to the crash site at the Bayside Waters mobile home park, city Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said Thursday during a news briefing. They found four trailer homes on fire – one of which had the crashed plane inside, Ehlers said.

The plane was found “predominately” in one mobile home, the fire chief said Thursday. Crews were still trying to tame hotspots and reach the bodies of those who died, Ehlers added.

Clearwater resident Steven Ascari told CNN he heard what sounded like an explosion Thursday evening that shook his apartment.

“And next thing you know a giant pillar of smoke was seen,” he said in a message.