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9 injured when small plane crashes in South Florida

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A small plane carrying seven people crashed near a South Florida airport on Thursday, sending all of the occupants and two bystanders to an area hospital, authorities said.

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According to Federal Aviation Administration officials, the twin-engine Cessna 414 plane crashed while taking off from North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport around 11:15 a.m., WPTV reported.

Three adults and a child were taken to an area hospital with traumatic injuries, the television station reported.

Two bystanders who rushed to the crash scene to help were also hospitalized, WTVJ reported.

“I’m glad that everybody survived. It had to be quite traumatizing for them to be in the aircraft as it was occurring but we’re thankful that they were all able to survive and we were able to get here and get them to the hospital," Palm Beach Fire Rescue Capt. Albert Borroto told reporters. “We’re thankful for that. What appears to have occurred is that the aircraft may have flipped and ended up at its final resting spot.

"There is damage to both wings. The fuselage seems to be intact, although with the crash, obviously, the people inside would have been tousled around somewhat.”

Logan Hernandez, who works at Palm Beach Avionics, said he was working on a plane when he heard the aircraft hit the ground, WPTV reported.

“Since it was a pretty steep drop (where the plane crashed), everybody lined up, up the hill, and we grabbed one hand, bringing it up to the next person," Hernandez told the television station. “Everybody got up the hill nice and safely with all the rocks and everything going on, and once that happened, the fire department got called. Myself, (I) went into my golf cart and drove to the gate to let them in.”

FAA officials said they would not release the tail number of the aircraft until the names and conditions of the injured are released, WPBF reported.