PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Aerial footage from WFLA’s Eagle 8 sheds new light on the ruins left behind at a Clearwater mobile home park after a plane crashed into one of the homes, killing three people last week.
On Monday, Eagle 8 captured the charred ruins of what was once a mobile home in the Bayside Waters mobile home park. Footage showed several people standing around the crash site, taking in what had occurred on Feb. 2.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane involved was a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35. The pilot reported engine failure before the plane crashed.
“I heard a loud swoosh sound, and I looked up into the sky. and I saw a small plane go over,” resident Rachelle Roach said. “I saw a plane go into some of our units, and I heard a large pop, then the explosion, then fire. All the neighbors that were around said, ‘Call 911.'”
Clearwater officials said as many as nine people were in the mobile home that was struck by the plane. However, only two remained inside when the crash occurred.
The two people and the pilot were killed in the crash.
On Saturday, authorities identified the on-the-ground victims as 68-year-old Martha Parry of Clearwater and Mary Ellen Pender, 54, of Treasure Island. Pender was visiting the home at the time. The pilot was identified as 54-year-old Jemin Patel of Melbourne Beach.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile app.