Small jet crashes into vehicle after taking off from suburban Phoenix airport, killing 5 people
A small jet crashed into a vehicle Tuesday after taking off from a suburban Phoenix airport, killing five people, police said.
The plane crashed while taking off from Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, police there said in a statement. The Honda HA-420 light business jet struck the vehicle outside airport property at 4:40 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The jet appeared to have slid through the fencing before striking a vehicle, CBS affiliate KPHO-TV reported.
Television news video showed what appeared to be a large fire on a road near the airport.
Aerial video from KPHO-TV showed heavy smoke billowing from a road near the airport where the airplane and vehicle collided.
Five people were confirmed dead at the scene, police said. Authorities said five people were aboard the plane but didn't specify whether they all died or whether anyone in the vehicle may have been among the victims.
The Mesa Police Department said the entire area would be closed for several hours while authorities investigated the crash.
According to GlobalAir, a Honda HA-420 jet has a takeoff distance of 4,000 feet and can reach speeds of about 485 mph. It can hold up to two crewmembers and six passengers.
The FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Mesa authorities will investigate. No further information was released.
