HILLIARD, Fla. — A 74-year-old pilot was pronounced dead Monday after the small plane he was flying crashed in Hilliard, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
FHP said the fixed wing aircraft crashed into a wooded area near the intersection of Trinity Lane and Sundberg Road. The pilot was the only occupant of the plane at the time of the crash. FHP said there was substantial damage to the plan, including a fire on board. The pilot has not been identified, pending notification of kin, FHP said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Van's RV-8.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
The administration's full statement reads:
"A single-engine Van’s RV-8 crashed in the woods near Hilliard, Fla., around 2:30 p.m. local time today. Only the pilot was aboard. Please contact local officials for information on the pilot’s name and medical condition. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents. The FAA will release the aircraft tail number once investigators verify it at the scene. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and all updates."