FORT PIERCE, Fla. — One person died and another was injured in a small plane crash Saturday afternoon on a runway at Treasure Coast International Airport, a St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman confirmed.
The Piper PA-44 crashed at about 1:15 p.m., a spokeswoman for the Federation Aviation Administration told WPTV. The plane, which seats a pilot and three passengers, is primarily designed for training, according to a flight academy.
Region St Lucie County
Small plane that crashed, killing 1, linked to Fort Pierce flight school
FlightAware shows a PA-44 that took off at 12:40 p.m. and landed at 1:19 p.m. was operated by Aviator College, which has a school near the airport. The tail number tracks to Christiansen Jet Center, which leases aircraft, including to flight schools.
WPTV has not been able to reach the school.
Fire district spokeswoman Brenda Stokes told WPTV that one person was declared dead at the scene and another was taken to a trauma center.
The plane sustained heavy damage and was on its roof.
At 1:20 PM units were dispatched to the TC International Airport for a plane crash. Crews arrived on scene to find the plane on its roof with 2 souls trapped inside. Unfortunately, after an extended extraction only 1 person survived and was transported to a local trauma center. pic.twitter.com/IC9cXpoEFX
— StLucieFire (@StLucieFireDist) March 30, 2024
Rescuers extricated the occupants and called in extra units, including a crane.
The National Traffic Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.
NTSB investigating Saturday's crash of a Piper PA-44 airplane in Fort Pierce North, Florida.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) March 30, 2024
Treasure Coast International Airport, according to its website, is a general aviation airport spanning 3,844 acres that is currently host to nearly six dozen tenants including aeronautic businesses such as aircraft maintenance and storage, a flight training school, air taxi and charter services, medical transport and a missionary flights operation.