Four people are dead after a small twin-engine plane crashed near the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport around 4:30 p.m., according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.

The plane was attempting to land when it ran into problems. No one on the ground was injured when the plane landed in a wooded area.

Federal Aviation Administration officials said the Piper PA-31 aircraft was trying to land when it declared an emergency and made a fiery landing into a nature preserve north of the runway around 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Police said the twin-engine aircraft did not crash into any buildings or pedestrians. The airport remained open but one of the runways was closed.

No details about the identities of the four passengers onboard were released.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez