Three people injured in small plane crash near Tampa Airport By FOX 13 News Staff Published Josh Cascio reports TAMPA, Fla. - A small plane radioed to Tampa International Airport about an in-flight engine failure this afternoon, then crashed just south of the runway, injuring three people. According to police and airport officials, the Piper Cherokee was heading to Tampa from Zephyrhills when the pilot asked to make an emergency landing just after 1 p.m. Rescue crews staged along the runway in anticipation. "That plane never came, at least not to the grounds of the airfield," Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Penny said.