Four Killed in Florida Midair Collision

A Polk State College flight instructor and her student were among those killed in the accident over Lake Hartridge in Winter Haven, Florida.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, March 08, 2023 at 01:00 PM ET

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The collision involved a Piper J-3 Cub on floats operated by Jack Brown's Seaplane Base and a Piper Cherokee, similar to the aircraft shown here, operated by Sunrise Aviation on behalf of Polk State College. [FLYING archive/iStock]

Key Takeaways:

A midair collision occurred Tuesday afternoon over Lake Hartridge in Winter Haven, Florida, resulting in the deaths of all four people aboard the two aircraft.
The incident involved a Piper Cherokee operated by Sunrise Aviation on behalf of Polk State College, carrying a flight instructor and student, and a Piper J-3 Cub on floats from Jack Brown's Seaplane Base, carrying two experienced pilots.
Authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA, are currently investigating the accident, while both affected organizations expressed deep condolences and are offering support.

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Authorities are investigating the midair collision in central Florida Tuesday that took the lives of four people. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s office, the accident happened over Lake Hartridge in Winter Haven, Florida, around 2 p.m.

There were several eyewitnesses to the collision between the Piper Cherokee operated by Sunrise Aviation on behalf of Polk State College, and the Piper J-3 Cub on floats operated by Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base.