Small plane crashes into Fort Lauderdale, Florida, condo building, killing pilot

The single-engine Piper PA-25 aircraft typically carries one person.

March 1, 2019, 1:10 PM

A small plane crashed into a condo building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday, killing the pilot, according to local fire officials.

The plane was a single-engine Piper PA-25 aircraft, which typically only carries one person, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The pilot, who was not identified, was the only person onboard, officials said.

PHOTO: A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
WPLG
PHOTO: A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
WPLG

The plane hit the condo between its 16th and 17th floors before crashing onto the pool deck below, said Fort Lauderdale fire officials.

“It looked like it just lost power and went straight into the building," witness Thomas Carpenter told ABC News.

Preliminary information indicates it was a banner tower, according to the FAA.

People in the building were safely evacuated, fire officials said.

PHOTO: A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
WPLG
PHOTO: A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
A plane crashed into a building in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March, 01, 2019.
WPLG

The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m. after the plane took off from North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, the FAA said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

ABC News' Fergal Gallagher contributed to this report.