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A small plane crashed into the mangroves of the Key West International Airport in the Florida Keys, after losing engine power just a few meters off the ground during takeoff, according to the Monroe County Fire and Rescue Service.
Despite the shocking images that were shared, there were no fatalities.
According to reports from the Monroe County Fire Service -quoted by local media- the aircraft "lost power at about 200 feet in altitude shortly after taking off" from runway 9 at the airport.
The plane crashed in a mangrove area located approximately 90 meters east of the runway's end, just outside the airport perimeter.
The accident occurred this Sunday, June 14, at around 2:14 p.m. local time.
The aircraft involved is a Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee Charger with registration N15564, a single-engine general aviation aircraft widely used in the Florida Keys for its versatility in short distances.
The occupants
The firefighters evacuated the occupants of the aircraft and confirmed that they did not suffer any serious injuries.
According to the MCFR, “the rescue teams arrived at the scene and evacuated the pilot and the passenger from the plane. They were the only people on board and suffered minor injuries.”
Local authorities indicated that the occupants refused to be transferred to a hospital.
Their identities have not been made public.
The rescue in difficult terrain
Emergency teams from MCFR, Key West Fire Rescue, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded immediately to the incident.
The terrain posed a significant obstacle for the rescuers.
According to the operational records, "the accident site, located in dense swampy areas of mangroves characteristic of the Florida Keys coastline, presented significant visibility and accessibility challenges for ground teams."
Despite this, “the search teams managed to locate the crashed aircraft after an intense search lasting 30 minutes,” authorities confirmed. The airport runway was reopened around 4:00 p.m. that same day.
The research
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified of the incident and have initiated an investigation to determine the causes of the engine power loss during takeoff.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office clarified that it is not the primary investigating agency of the accident.
The loss of power during takeoff is one of the most critical emergencies in general aviation, as it occurs at the moment of the highest engine demand and at low altitude, leaving the pilot with very limited options for an emergency landing.
Context: A series of incidents in Florida
This accident occurs during a period of high activity of incidents involving small aircraft in the state.
On May 29, a small aircraft crashed in Broward County with two injured individuals hospitalized, and the next day another aircraft experienced landing failures in Homestead with two minor injuries.
On April 21, a small plane crashed into the backyard of a home in Florida in an incident that drew attention due to the images of the moment.
The FAA and NTSB have not set an official timeline for the conclusion of their investigation into the Key West accident.
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