1 dead, 1 injured in plane crash on Metro Parkway in south Fort Myers

Bill Smith
The News-Press
Scene from a plane crash Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Fort Myers.

Investigators are trying to determine why a small airplane faltered on takeoff Saturday and then slammed into a daycare center on the campus of Chico's FAS, leaving one person dead and another seriously injured.

The passenger in the plane died, but the pilot was able to scramble out before it exploded into flames, officials said. The daycare center was unoccupied.

Witness Richard Waltman told WINK News that the plane never got very high, clipped trees near the building with its right wing and then cartwheeled onto the structure. At first, he said, there was just a little smoke, followed seconds later by a big explosion.

National Transportation Safety Board Investigator Dan Boggs said the plane took off from Page Field in Fort Myers and then attempted an emergency landing on Metro Parkway.

“It clipped some of these trees and unfortunately struck the building,” Boggs said.

The plane crashed into Building 9 on the Chico's campus, hitting the side that faces Metro Parkway.

“The building does have some minor surface damage to the roof and a small hole that can be repaired,” Boggs said.

Investigators have not yet released the names of the pilot and passenger.

The plane was a Piper PA-28 Cherokee 181 airplane, according to Boggs. The plane’s tail number lists it as registered to the Cub Club Inc and formerly the Fort Myers Flying Club.

The pilot survived the crash and was seen staggering on the sidewalk of Metro Parkway. Before emergency vehicles could arrive, the plane burst into flames.

That fire damaged or destroyed many of the plane’s instruments including the GPS.

“We do still have the airframe and the engine, the flight controls,” Boggs said.

The building houses Chico's FAS Early Education Center, a child care facility open Monday through Friday.

"I can confirm that there was absolutely no Chico's employees on-scene at the time of the crash, and no injuries to anyone who is employed there," said Lee County Undersheriff Carmine Marceno. "We have been working directly with Chico's so they can assist us in processing the scene."

 

Scene from a plane crash Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Fort Myers.

 

The NTSB, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Port Authority Police and FAA are investigating.

Scene from a plane crash Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Fort Myers.

In the hours following the crash, planes took a flight path that was a few thousand yards north of the crash scene.

The rear wings on the tail of the plane were all that was visible to passers-by on Metro Parkway. The building that the plane crashed into is barely visible from the street.

Several emergency vehicles, deputies and investigators remained present for hours after the crash.

At the time of the crash, planes were flying under visual flight rules at Page Field. The 7 a.m. flight weather report listed visibility of 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet and scattered clouds at 15,000 feet. Winds were variable at just three knots.

There are two stands of pine trees, taller than the Chico's building that are on each side of Metro Parkway parallel to the crash site.

Primary investigation into the cause of the crash lies with the NTSB, which looks at a variety of factors, including the condition of the aircraft and its engine and the human factors involved in the flight.

Boggs said the plane would be moved to a secure location within the next two or three days. A preliminary report on what occurred usually follows after 10 to 14 days. The airplane’s manufacturers for both the airframe and engine will also contribute to the investigation.

On getting word of a plane crash, the NTSB sends an investigator to the scene, along with other experts from Federal Aviation Administration and often the manufacturer of the airplane, said Peter Knudson, an NTSB spokesman.

The safety board itself retains the authority to conduct hearings on any crash, but has formally delegated authority for general aviation accidents to top management. 

The last time a person died in a Page Field crash was in March 2015. A St. Petersburg pilot crashed near U.S. 41 and Colonial as he was coming in to Page Field to land. His mother,  85-year-old Estero resident, died a few days after the crash.

About the plane

The PA-28 is a single engine plane that has been manufactured since the early 1960s.An FAA registry lists several that are based at Page Field. It has undergone modifications and changes in model style over the years.

There have been several plane crashes involving the PA-28 over the years, including a crash in November 2011 that killed all four people on board: the coach and assistant coach of the Oklahoma State women's basketball team, thepilot and the pilot's wife. In that crash, the plane's instruments and mechanics seemed to be fine.

 

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