A 12-year-old boy was among five people killed after a small jet crashed moments after take-off in Phoenix, authorities said.
The Honda HA-420 aircraft took off at around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday from Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, but struck a vehicle outside the airport minutes later and caught fire.
Five people were on board the aircraft at the time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Four died while one – a flight crew member – survived after suffering serious injuries, the FAA preliminary accident report said.
The Mesa Police Department released the identities of four of the five victims Wednesday.
They were named as Spencer Lindahl, 43; Rustin Randall, 48; Drew Kimball, 44; Graham Kimball, 12. The driver of the car involved was also killed, but police did not release his identity.
Video captured what appeared to be a wreckage in flames on a road near the airport, the Associated Press reported.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown with an investigation involving the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Mesa authorities now underway.
Authorities said that Greenfield Road will be closed in both directions between McKellips to McDowell roads for a considerable amount of time.
“Our community suffered a tragic loss this afternoon,” Mesa Fire spokesperson Marrisa Ramirez-Ramos said.
Joshua Golabi, a pilot who was present at the scene during the incident, told MSNBC that he had been about to get into his own aircraft before he heard a “pop and saw a plume of smoke.”
“He went through that dip. He went past the road through the metal gated fence that they have, through I believe a few concrete walls,” Golabi said. “We were just about to get into our aircraft and go when we heard a pop and saw a plume of smoke.”
Investigators with the NTSB are at the scene and more are expected to arrive Wednesday, officials said. The plane will be taken to a secure facility for further investigation and preliminary report should be available within 30 days.
“It’s just very jarring and it’s a reminder to all pilots to always fly and maneuver as safe as you can,” Golabi added.
