Aviation expert explains what may have caused small plane crash in Boca Raton

A small plane crashed in Boca Raton Friday morning, killing the three people on board and leaving a man who was in a vehicle on the ground injured, officials said.

The crash happened in the area of Military Trail and Glades Road, not far from Boca Raton Airport and Interstate 95.

Aviation expert and attorney Willard Shepard said the plane may have experienced some trouble during takeoff.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane, a Cessna 310 carrying three people, went down around 10:20 a.m. after departing from Boca Raton Airport on its way to Tallahassee International Airport.

Shepard said he spoke to people who works at the Boca Raton Airport who saw the plane take off.
“All of them describe to me a problem on this airplane as soon as it took off,” Shepard explained. “One person said they were working on the airplane, along with some other people, heard the trouble and walked out and saw this aircraft as it attempted to depart.”

According to Flightradar24, the aircraft appeared to be circling in the air as it turned back around to Boca Raton Airport.
LaSalle said crews responded after there were reports that the plane was having mechanical issues.

Shepard said establishing an emergency plane prior to take-off is crucial for every pilot.

“Anytime you have a situation like this before flight, one of the number one procedure is you want to make sure as to what you’re going to do if you have a problem immediately on take-off,” Shepard said.

Witnesses who work nearby and saw the crash said they saw the plane flying low and then felt their building shake when it crashed.

Shepard explained due to the commercial buildings and structures near the airport, options for pilots to make emergency landings are limited.

“In aviation, almost all the tragedies that occur either at takeoff or in the landing phase of flight.”

Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed debris scattered across a roadway and on train tracks as fire crews hosed down the wreckage.

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“It appears to me this aircraft simply became out of control because of where it ultimately ended up going down.”

The crash will be investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Shepard said officials will look at the pilot’s proficiency, recent training and medical records. They will also look at the condition of the aircraft and recent inspections of the aircraft.

“They will piece this airplane back together and figure out, mechanically, what was going on with this aircraft,” said Shepard.