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Hillsborough County, FL - A morning flight ended in a fatal crash and fire shortly after departing an airport in Hillsborough County.
Two people were killed Thursday when a small aircraft crashed in a wooded area near U.S. 301 and Tampa Executive Airport.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue received multiple 911 calls reporting the crash near U.S. 301 and Maislin Drive at approximately 8:16 a.m.
Firefighters arrived to find the aircraft fully engulfed in flames. Crews extinguished the fire in less than 10 minutes and secured the surrounding area.
Officials confirmed that the two people aboard the aircraft died. Their identities were not immediately released pending notification of their families.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the plane as a Lancair Evolution, a single-engine aircraft. It had departed Tampa Executive Airport shortly before crashing about half a mile away.
The aircraft came down near the northern end of an airport runway. Fire officials said its location near the edge of the wooded area allowed emergency crews to reach it without significant obstacles.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office established a roadblock at U.S. 301 and Maislin Drive while deputies, firefighters and federal investigators worked at the crash site.
The aircraft sustained extensive damage from the impact and fire. Authorities did not report receiving a distress call or identify any mechanical problem before the crash.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Federal investigators will examine the wreckage, flight information, maintenance history, weather conditions and other evidence.
The cause remained undetermined Thursday. Preliminary information may be released before the NTSB completes its final report, a process that can take more than a year.