The National Transportation Safety Board moved the remains of a crashed private jet from Interstate 75 in Collier County to Jacksonville on Sunday.
The investigation moving off the freeway allowed the Florida Highway Patrol to reopen I-75 southbound shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday.
"There is not much information available at this time. Investigators are continuing to examine and document scene and aircraft," a NTSB spokesman said via email Sunday.
"The aircraft is in the process of being recovered and the plan is to transport to an undisclosed secure facility in Jacksonville later today," the NTSB email indicated. "Also, the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder are being prepared to be sent to the NTSB headquarters in Washington, DC this evening."
The crash occurred as the pilot attempted an emergency landing on I-75 Friday after the twin-engine Bombardier Commander 600 jet lost power to both engines. Two of five people on the jet died in the crash.
The NTSB is investigating the crash and is requesting anyone with video of the plane crash to contact the NTSB.
The NTSB said that the contact should be in the form of an email to Witness@NTSB.gov. The NTSB stressed that video of the plane after the crash is not needed.
A report by the NTSB investigators could come within 30 days. However, the NTSB will not announce the cause of an accident while on the scene and the agency said the cause may not be determined for one to two years after the accident.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office also tentatively identified the two victims of the crash as pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, of Oakland Park, Florida and co-pilot Ian Frederick Hofmann, 65, of Pompano Beach, Florida.
Survivors were listed by the Sheriff's Office as crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 23, of Jupiter, Florida; and passengers Aaron Baker, 35, and Audra Green, 23, both of Columbus, Ohio. Survivors were taken to an area hospital.
According to the FAA Airmen Inquiry web site Murphy was certified as an airline transport pilot and was licensed in 2018. Hofmann was also certified as an airline transport pilot, licensed in 2023, and also as a flight engineer and flight instructor.
The Florida Highway Patrol on Saturday said the driver of a pickup that was struck when the jet attempted the emergency landing Friday afternoon suffered only minor injuries.
The driver and two passengers in a second vehicle involved were not hurt, the FHP said.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said the crash happened around 3:15 p.m. Friday when the 2004 Bombardier Challenger 600 jet crashed with five people on board. The crash happened on the southbound portion of the freeway between the Golden Gate and Pine Ridge Road exits.
During cleanup operations Saturday a fire started in the debris left by the crash. North Collier Fire Department firefighters put the fire out.
The driver of the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado was a 48-year-old Naples man. The FHP said he sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
The second vehicle hit was a 2023 Nissan Armada SUV. The FHP identified the driver as a 66-year-old female from Massachusetts. There were also two passengers, an 85-year-old female and a 31-year-old female, both from Massachusetts. None suffered injuries.
The FHP said it responded to the crash at 3:12 p.m. Friday and remains on scene assisting with the investigation.
ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE:
- The northbound Interstate 75 lanes of Interstate 75 are open. As a reminder, per Florida Statute 316.1945, stopping on a limited access road (Interstate 75) is not permitted, unless a vehicle is disabled or necessary to render aid.
- The southbound Interstate 75 lanes reopened shortly after 7 p.m.
About the jet
Online flight tracking showed the jet, owned by East Shore Aviation and operated by Hop-a-Jet at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, left Fort Lauderdale at 9:35 a.m. Friday and landed in the Ohio State University Airport around 11:57 a.m. The plane departed the Ohio State airport at 1:02 p.m., and was to land at Naples Airport at 3:12 p.m.
The plane crashed on the freeway shortly before landing in Naples. It had been scheduled to leave Naples and head back to Fort Lauderdale later Friday.
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