Helicopter Pilot Reported He Could Only Turn Left Before Boca Raton Crash That Killed 3: NTSB
The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection
The plane first drifted left, then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns
The three passengers killed were a 17-year-old girl, her father, and her grandfather
Authorities have identified a new development surrounding the April 11 small plane crash in Boca Raton, Fla., that left three people dead.
A preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that one of the pilots on board reported a rudder problem and said the plane was only able to turn left before the aircraft crashed in a shocking blaze.
The flight was the first after the plane's annual inspection, but the aircraft drifted immediately to the left upon takeoff. The plane then made a 180-degree left turn, followed by a series of 360-degree left turns, the report said.
A Google Earth image provided by the NTSB showed the path of the doomed flight.
A Google Earth image of the Boca Raton plane crash
A Cessna 310 plane carrying the three passengers left the Boca Raton Airport en route to the Tallahassee International Airport on Friday, April 11. The plane reported having mechanical issues before the accident.
The plane took off about 10 a.m., then around 10:12 a.m., the Boca Raton fire and police dispatch received a call for a plane in trouble. Eight minutes later, the aircraft had a terrifying crash near I-95 and Glades Road.
Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty A small plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday, April 11, 2025.
A small plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Then, just before 11 a.m., Boca Raton Fire Rescue announced that responding units were on the scene and warned of road closures.
The three passengers died in the crash, the Boca Raton Police Department said in a statement. The victims were identified as Brooke Stark, 17, Stephen Stark, 54, and Robert Stark, 81. Stephen was Brooke's father and Robert was her grandfather, according to NBC 6.
Pablo Tafur, 24, who was in a 2017 Toyota Prius when the car lost control amid the plane crash and collided into a tree, was hospitalized but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Marta Lavandier/AP Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Emergency personnel remove the bodies of those killed when a small plane crashed on the railroad tracks beneath the overpass near Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, April 11, 2025.
'We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community,' Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said in a statement, according to CNN.
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'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.'
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