Witness accounts paint horrific picture of I-75 plane crash 2 years later

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.—Two years ago, a private jet crashed on Interstate 75 in Collier County, turning a seemingly perfect February day into a tragedy.

The incident, which took place on February 9, 2024, left a lasting impact on those who witnessed it.

At 3:15 p.m., WINK News was on the air when initial reports of the crash came in.

Drivers nearby sent pictures and video from the scene, showing horrifying images of a fuselage engulfed in flames. Eyewitnesses called in to provide firsthand accounts of the crash.

The Challenger 600 twin-engine aircraft had five people on board and was traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Naples.

Just before the scheduled landing, the pilot alerted air traffic control of a catastrophic problem.

A truck driver from Miami captured the crash on his dash cam, saying he knew the plane was too low, but there was nothing he could do.

"I saw the plane flying pretty low. I said, ‘Oh my god, what is going on?’ And when I looked again. He is right there on my left side. In less than 5 seconds, I saw it go down and crash into an I-75 firebomb," said Alfonso Del Nodal, a witness.

Despite the severity of the crash, it could have been much worse. Three people on board the plane miraculously survived, although two people did not.

As of Monday, I-75 shows no signs of the tragedy that occurred. But for those who witnessed it, the memory remains vivid.