The chances of all this happening is just mind boggling.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-bk-airportcrash012608,0,5010915.storyFive young men who were speeding down a runway next to a private Marion County fly-in community were killed after their BMW became airborne and smashed into an oak tree.
The accident was on a runway adjacent to the Jumbolair Aviation Estates, a gated community where movie star John Travolta lives.
Marion County Fire Rescue responded to the area of 1400 N.E. 95th St near the town of Anthony at approximately 3:50 a.m. Saturday. When they arrived, they found that the 2008 BMW's wreckage by a large oak tree. Cpt. Joel Matthias, a spokesman for Marion County Fire Rescue, said that the car's five occupants were killed on impact. Three of the men were ejected from the luxury car.
The Florida Highway Patrol identified the car's occupants as Joshua D. Ammirato, 18, James D. Hime, 19, Isaac J Rubin 20,, Jacob J Casey, 19, and Dustin J. Dawe, 19. Although it appeared that Ammirato was driving the car, Lt. Mike Burroughs of the Florida Highway Patrol said that FHP is still determining the position of the car's other occupants.
Matthais said that, while the accident was still under investigation, it appeared that the car was driving on the runway and hit the jet blast diversion ramp - a large mound of dirt and a retaining wall at the end of the runway. The car became airborne and traveled about 200 feet, before striking the tree.Matthais said that there is an 80-foot drop between the end of the runway and the ground below.
Burroughs said that the BMW struck the tree approximately 15 feet above the ground. Although FHP has yet to determine how fast the car was travelling, it hit the tree with tremendous force.
"Portions of the vehicle were actualy embedded into the oak tree," he said. The car was registered to Santo G. Ammirato, who was not one of the vehicle's occupants. Burroughs said that it did not appear that any of the victims lived in Jumbolair.
According to Burroughs, area residents said that they didn't think the runway had become a local hotspot for joy rides.
"The local residents did say that it uncommon for drag racing or any event like that to take place on the airstrip," he said. "We do not have any idea what they were doing out there."
