A devastating plane crash in Boca Raton on Friday morning has claimed the lives of three people, including a 17-year-old girl, leaving the community in mourning and investigators searching for answers. The victims, all from Palm Beach County, were aboard a Cessna 310R that went down near North Military Trail. The Boca Raton Police Services Department confirmed the deceased as Brooke Stark, 17, Robert Stark, 81, and Stephen Stark, 54.
The three victims, though police have not confirmed their familial relationships, are presumed to be closely related, possibly spanning three generations of one family. Brooke Stark, a teenager with her entire life ahead of her, was identified as a passenger, along with Robert and Stephen Stark. Authorities have not stated who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash, but both Robert and Stephen held private pilot certificates with the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to FAA records, Stephen Stark received his pilot certification in 2011 and was rated to fly both single- and multi-engine aircraft. Robert Stark, a seasoned aviator with ratings for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, and instrument flying, was certified in 2018. The extent of their experience only deepens the mystery of what went wrong.
While the crash took three lives, one man on the ground narrowly survived a terrifying brush with death. Pablo Tafur, 24, was driving his Toyota Prius nearby when the plane came down. The vehicle spun out of control, crashing into a tree as flames erupted around it. Tafur, a military veteran, credits his calm under pressure to his military training. Despite first-degree burns, he escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Once the flames were around it, I slammed my brakes and tried to get out of the way,” Tafur said. “I’m just lucky to be here – not my day today. Somebody is looking out.”
As the crash site remains cordoned off, traffic continues to be diverted away from North Military Trail. Authorities stated the road will likely stay closed throughout the weekend while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continue their investigation. No timeline has been set for reopening, as officials meticulously work through wreckage and witness accounts to determine what caused the fatal crash.
Witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud boom and seeing thick smoke billowing skyward in the immediate aftermath. First responders quickly arrived on the scene to douse the flames and secure the site, but the three passengers aboard the plane were already beyond help.
The aircraft, a Cessna 310R, is a twin-engine model often used for personal and business travel. It is known for being a reliable aircraft, which raises further questions about the nature of the crash. Investigators will review maintenance logs, flight records, and any available communications or flight tracking data. The preliminary findings from the FAA and NTSB are expected in the coming weeks.
The Boca Raton community is still reeling from the loss. Though official information about the personal lives of the victims has not been released, the tragic loss of a young girl and two older family members has stirred emotional tributes and an outpouring of grief.
The deaths of Robert and Stephen Stark also hit the aviation community hard. Both men, having dedicated years to flying, were highly trained and well-credentialed. Their passion for aviation, shared possibly as father and son or grandfather and son, tragically ended in the very skies they loved.
The crash has reignited concerns about small aircraft safety, especially in suburban areas where homes, cars, and pedestrians are vulnerable to unexpected accidents. That more people weren’t injured or killed on the ground is being described by officials as a miracle.
As the days pass and the investigation unfolds, Boca Raton will remember April’s sunny morning not for its warmth but for the sudden loss and sorrow it brought. A teenage life ended far too soon, two experienced aviators were gone in an instant, and a survivor was left to piece together how he walked away from a firestorm that could have easily taken him, too.
While answers will come in time and the official reports will provide technical clarity, the emotional weight of the incident is already deeply felt. In the quiet of North Military Trail, now blocked off to traffic, lies a story of loss, survival, and a community holding its breath for the truth behind the tragedy in the skies.
