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2 Small Planes Collide, Crash Into Everglades

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The Associated Press

Published: December 9, 2007

POMPANO BEACH - Two small planes collided over the Everglades on Saturday, crashing into the swamp. Authorities said there probably were no survivors.

A small Piper aircraft and another plane thought to be a Cessna crashed into each other about 3 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said.

Authorities think only one person was on board the Piper. They were working to determine how many people were on the second plane.

The Piper was registered to Harry Duckworth of Waverly, Pa., and was en route from Ocala to Pompano Beach, according to FAA records of the flight plan.

"That doesn't mean Mr. Duckworth was on board the craft," Bergen cautioned.

A telephone message left by The Associated Press for a Harry Duckworth in Waverly was not immediately responded to on Saturday evening.

Bergen said the second plane didn't file a flight plan.

Authorities had retrieved the tail numbers and were contacting the owners, Palm Beach County sheriff's Sgt. Pete Palenzuela said.

The area where the planes went down is only accessible by airboat, and the planes had already sunk, said Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Don DeLucia.

"They're in the water, under the water," he said. "We have no idea how many victims there are."

DeLucia said it was unlikely anyone survived, but no bodies had been recovered.

Palenzuela said a sheriff's helicopter would use a heat sensor to search the area Saturday evening in case someone survived and was hidden in the saw grass.

Recovery efforts were expected to resume this morning.

The planes collided about 14 miles northwest of Pompano Beach along the Broward and Palm Beach county line.

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