A dramatic video recorded by an airport worker in Florida has captured the final moments of a tragic plane crash. The footage shows the doomed plane circling the sky before ultimately crashing in a fiery blaze, resulting in the loss of three lives.

The fatal flight departed from Boca Raton Airport at approximately 10 am on a Friday. Spectators observed the Cessna 310 aircraft experiencing difficulties as it aimlessly circled the skies. The situation took a turn for the worse when the plane deviated from its course, colliding with a passing car and bursting into flames.

The victims of the crash were identified as Brooke Stark, 17 years old, her father Stephen Stark, 54, and her grandfather Robert Stark, 81. All three were residents of Palm Beach County and shared a passion for aviation.

In a harrowing clip, the employee, identified only as Kevin, can be heard reacting in real time as the aircraft falters overhead.

‘They just declared an emergency,’ he says with growing alarm. ‘His rudder is stuck -oh my god, he’s got a big f****** problem.’

Alongside clips of the plane after take off, he shared a theory about what went wrong.

The airport employee – who is also a seasoned flight engineer – believes a malfunctioning rudder may have caused the crash.

‘I was working today on Gulfstream and I saw Cessna 310 owned by an older gentleman that hangars the plane here at Boca airport. When he took off he was so low I could tell his rudder was fully deflected left,’ the engineer wrote.

He explained that the rudder is a critical flight control component that governs an aircraft’s yaw, or rotation around its vertical axis. If it becomes stuck in one direction, it can cause the aircraft to turn uncontrollably.

‘The Rudder is one of the flight controls, it gives control of the yaw on an airplane. If this gets stuck to any direction it will turn the airplane into that direction,’ he wrote.

‘That explains the constant left turns and if that happens it’s almost impossible to control the airplane,’ the aviation expert added.

Another user on X questioned why such a fault wouldn’t have been identified before takeoff.

‘Wouldn’t/shouldn’t that be checked and corrected prior to takeoff?’ the user asked.

In response, he stressed the importance of pre-flight inspections – standard procedures that involve a thorough check of the aircraft’s systems, structure and documentation.

However, he added that the thorough checks are not mandatory for General Aviation aircrafts – non-commercial, non-military civilian flight operations.

‘This the reason we have pre-flights to prevents these situations. But when they’re General Aviation aircraft its not mandatory. Even the maintenance is not because its not used for hire, only the annual inspection,’ he wrote. 

The fatal crash occurred just after 10 am Friday and involved a Cessna 310R, a low-wing aircraft that typically seats four to six passengers.

It was only moments after takeoff that the aircraft began experiencing mechanical trouble, prompting the pilot toan emergency.

Around 10:17 am, the plane veered off course and failed to reach the runway.

It crashed on North Military Trail near the Glades Road overpass, slamming into a 2017 Toyota Prius before bursting into a massive fireball.

The car’s driver, 24-year-old Pablo Tafur, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after losing control and crashing into a tree due to the collision impact.

Aerial footage showed wreckage engulfed in flames and thick smoke rising from the site as first responders rushed to extinguish the fire.

Two bodies were seen inside the smoldering debris before officials confirmed all three occupants aboard the aircraft had died.

The Boca Raton Police Department have since confirmed that both Robert and Stephen Stark were licensed pilots.

Robert held a private pilot certificate since 2018 with single-engine sea and land ratings, as well as multi-engine and instrument certifications.

Stephen received his private pilot license in 2011 and had multi-engine and single-engine qualifications.

However, it remains unknown who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.

Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the accident.

A preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks.

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer released a statement expressing condolences: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community.

‘At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event.’

Witnesses in the area described the crash as loud and violent, with one person writing on social media, ‘Shook the whole building. Unfortunately I’m certain lives were lost here today.’