Legal News for Florida Aviation Airline Accident Lawyers. Single-engine plane crashes into Lake Russel, fatally injuring the pilot and three other passengers aboard.
National Transportation Safety Board investigates fatal plane crash in Lake Russell.
Fort Lauderdale, FL—The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) http://www.ntsb.gov is currently investigating a single-engine plane crash that occurred in Osceola County on Monday, December 7, 2009, fatally injuring the pilot as well as three passengers aboard the plane. According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the small Cessna 172 aircraft crashed in the center of Lake Russell, and was found in approximately six feet of water on Tuesday.
Though the plane crash victim’s identities have not been formally identified by NTSB investigators, Miami resident, Manuel Vallina allegedly told news sources that he was related to the individuals on the small plane, according to a report by the Sun-Sentinel. Vallina identified them as the mother, Carmen Blanco Herrera, 45; her son, a newly-licensed pilot, Manuel, 19; an 18-year-old brother, as well as a 16-year-old sister. According to the family relative, the victims in this unfortunate crash were allegedly flying back to Fort Lauderdale after visiting Disney World, when the airplane accident occurred.
The pilot was allegedly communicating with air traffic control in Orlando until around 10:23, when the airplane completely disappeared off the radar.
An Osceola marine unit, and dive teams from the Orange and Polk County Sherriff’s Offices, as well as eight Florid Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers are all reportedly helping in the search for the victim’s remains. It is said that once the remains are found, the NTSB will investigate the plane in an attempt to understand why the crash occurred, which was estimated to take approximately six months to a year to finish.
Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for Florida Aviation Airline Accident Attorneys.
