Melbourne Beach man identified as pilot killed in Clearwater plane crash - The Space Coast Rocket

Melbourne Beach man identified as pilot killed in Clearwater plane crash

Published on

February 3, 2024

By Robert W. Burns III

Jemin Patel (1)

- Advertisement -

The 3 victims that were killed in a plane crash in Clearwater last Thursday have been identified.

- Advertisement -

Jemin Patel and his wife Tammy (Facebook image)

According to reports from WFLA, they were 54-year-old Melbourne Beach pilot Jemin Patel and two others, 54-year-old Mary Ellen Ponder from Treasure Island and 68-year-old Martha Parry from Clearwater. Patel was the only occupant of the plane.

- Advertisement -

Patel took off in his Beechcraft Bonanza V35 from Vero Beach Regional Airport, about 15 miles north of Fort Pierce, and was heading to Clearwater Airpark, according to data from FlightRadar24.

Example of Bonanza V35 aircraft

- Advertisement -

Around 7p.m. Thursday, Patel reported he experienced engine failure before crashing into the mobile home park. The crash set several of the homes on fire, and killing the other 2 victims. The crash was about 3 miles north of the runway at Clearwater Airpark

Federal authorities are investigating the crash.

- Advertisement -

Criminal Defense
Bankruptcy · Evictions

WICKS LAW P.A.

Call or text for
free consult

321-733-2700

Eric Wicks, Esq.

1250 West Eau Gallie Blvd. G
Melbourne, FL 32935

Abogado Wicks habla español

Attorney Eric Wicks, Wicks Law P.A., Melbourne Florida

Call or Text wickslawfl.com

Upcoming Events

Facebook Posts

The Space Coast Rocket updated their status.

6 hours ago

This content isn't available right now

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.

View on Facebook

The Space Coast Rocket

8 hours ago

Newly released Twin Falls police surveillance video of the August 1, 2026, mass shooting at the In-N-Out Burger drive-thru, where 24-year-old Chad Williams killed three and injured seven before dying by suicide. ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

The Space Coast Rocket

9 hours ago

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general early this morning after a bitter fight that ran past 4 a.m. Here's a Facebook post covering the vote and the opposition:The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General in a narrow 50-49 vote early Saturday morning, after a late-night session ran over into the early hours ahead of a planned Senate recess.Only two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, broke from their party to oppose Blanche, joining all Democrats in voting against him. Collins said the Justice Department has grown increasingly political, while Murkowski said she was not convinced Blanche would check the administration's worst impulses.Blanche, President Trump's former personal defense attorney, faced sharp criticism throughout the process. Sen. Adam Schiff argued Blanche has never been able to shed his role as Trump's personal lawyer and would prioritize the president's interests over those of the American people. Other critics, including Sen. Bill Cassidy, who ultimately provided the deciding vote to confirm him, pointed to Blanche's approval of a so called "anti weaponization" fund and an exemption shielding President Trump from IRS audits, along with what they described as DOJ lawsuits against political enemies.Epstein survivors also raised alarms after meeting with Blanche last month. One survivor, Annie Farmer, said she found him abrasive, condescending, and intentionally noncommittal, and urged senators to block his confirmation.Despite the opposition, Blanche thanked the Senate in a statement posted shortly after the vote, saying he was deeply honored by the trust President Trump placed in him to lead the Justice Department.#AttorneyGeneral #DOJ #FloridaPolitics ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

The Space Coast Rocket

10 hours ago

Rad Ink in Melbourne is hosting a two-day Back to School event this weekend to help local families and teachers get ready for the new school year.On August 8th from 12 pm to 8 pm, bring in new, unopened school supplies and trade them for a flash tattoo or piercing of equal value. Cash donations are also welcome and will go toward purchasing school supplies for kids in need. Organizers ask that donated items not come from discount retailers like Dollar Tree or Five Below, and that all supplies be new, not used.On August 9th from 12 pm to 3 pm, families in genuine need are invited to come pick out school supplies for their children, free of charge. Bring your child and their school supply list. It's first come, first serve, with one visit per family. Any leftover supplies will be donated to local teachers.Rad Ink is located at 760 W New Haven Ave, Melbourne, FL 329#backtoschoolc#SpaceCoastC#melbourneflrneFL ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

The Space Coast Rocket

10 hours ago

Andrew Gillum Arrested AgainThe former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 Democratic nominee for Florida governor was booked into the Baldwin County Jail in Alabama on Thursday after reportedly failing a court ordered drug test. According to Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney John Oxford, Gillum had been placed in a random testing program following his arrest last month in Daphne, where police pulled him over for erratic driving and found methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle. That July arrest left him facing a felony drug possession charge along with misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia counts.Gillum came within roughly 32,000 votes of defeating Ron DeSantis for governor in 2018. He has faced repeated legal and personal struggles since, including a 2020 incident at a Miami Beach hotel where police found suspected methamphetamine, and a 2023 corruption trial in which a jury acquitted him on one charge and deadlocked on others tied to alleged misuse of campaign funds.It is not yet clear how this latest arrest will affect his pending Alabama drug case.#FloridaPolitics #AndrewGillum #BreakingNews ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

More like this