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Plane Crash in Everglades Kills 4 Florida Gators Fans, Family
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by Tina Kells | September 21, 2009 at 12:23 pm
4342 views | 56 Recommendations | 13 comments
A plane crash in the Everglades September 20, 2009 has claimed the lives of four Florida Gators fans, including three members of the same family, the Barbers of Fort Lauderdale.
The group was coming back from a Florida Gators game when their small plane crashed in the Everglades in West Broward, Florida. As of Monday afternoon, only one body had been recovered from the scene, although rescue crews say the plane crash site is so horrific that it is unlikely there are any survivors.
The pilot of the plane is though to be Fort Lauderdale investment advisor Bruce Barber, who is the owner/operator of Bull Gator Air. Barber's business model centered around transporting fans to Florida Gators' games and the plane was even painted blue and orange in honor of the team. Bruce Barber and his family were returning home from a Gators game when their plane crashed in the Everglades.
The people on the plane included Bruce Barber, his wife Karen Barber, their son Payton Barber, and family friend Phil Marsh. All passengers on the plane are presumed dead. The accident has left the Barber's 10-year old daughter Chloe an orphan and the sole survivor of her family.
Friends say the four flew north to attend a Friday fundraiser for Gov. Charlie Crist held at the home of Barber's close friend, Miami attorney Danny Ponce. The next day, they sat in Barber's special box at the 50-yard line and enjoyed UF's 23-13 win over the Tennessee Volunteers.
According to FlightAware.com, which tracks flights nationwide, Barber left Gainesville at 4:13 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport less than two hours later.
But just before 6 p.m., as it approached the airport from the northwest, the plane fell into the marsh west of U.S. 27.
BSO launched airboats to search for the downed plane and found the burning wreckage just south of the Broward-Palm Beach County line.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (13)
at 12:54 on September 21st, 2009
Cause of the crash is unknown.
How sad for the 10 year old daughter, left an orphan.
at 13:06 on September 21st, 2009
Very sad.
at 13:58 on September 21st, 2009
This is a sad story. We get a lot of small plane crashes here in Florida. The everglades is not the kind of place to go swimming.
at 15:55 on September 21st, 2009
the plane was private his business was totally separate
at 16:09 on September 21st, 2009
They both go to my school. R.I.P Payton. You will be missed. :(
at 17:35 on September 21st, 2009
This made me cry. My friend Jefferey who goes to my school was at the gators game with Payton Barber and his family. He drove home instead of taking the plane. Jeffery was crying in class. i feel so bad for him :(
at 20:40 on September 21st, 2009
Avery sad story.
at 09:06 on September 22nd, 2009
Tina:
I would like to thank you for posting this article. At the same time, I condemn this horrific plane crash and there should be an investigation into the causes of the Bull Gator Air Crash.
Roberto
at 17:54 on September 23rd, 2009
she is not an orphan she is living with the grandparents i know alot of people who new them
at 02:07 on October 6th, 2009
That is the problem with being rich & having too much money and too much time. Sit on your ass at home, watch the game from the 50 yeard line of your couch & be happy we are poor, we are alive. John Denver did the same thing. Fly commercially is the lesson to us all here. Stay out of small bug smashers.
at 07:50 on October 6th, 2009
This is sooo sad i knew them from their vacation at a Resort that i work in Jamaica and remember them with the greatest of affection. They were a happy family and they treated everyone with respect we were just blown away by the story, our prayers go out to Chloe.
at 18:33 on October 15th, 2009
I am a professional engineer. Small planes are inherently unsafe. The very first passenger to ever fly on a small plane was killed (the Wright brother survived). Anyone who has driven down Alligator Alley knows that the rains come and go like apparitions. I drove that exact stretch the day before they died and all along the way were patches of clear and patches of thunderstorms. Small planes are not equipped for that, they may get lucky many times, but it only takes once. I am not dumping on the family, as they paid the ultimate price, but the father is responsible for his son, and his last thought must have been "I've killed my son". Adults can make these choices, do not subject children to them.
at 18:39 on October 15th, 2009
P.S. And don't bring a guy on board named Marsh when you're flying over the Everglades...not scientific, but kind of spooky.