A flight instructor and his passenger were killed after their plane crashed in a wooded area in Volusia County.
The fatal accident was reported to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, August 24.
According to the sheriff’s office, the plane took off from the Spruce Creek Fly-In at around 4:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., the plane sent an emergency signal to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center before it crashed in thick vegetation in Osteen.
At around 7 p.m., Air One located the plane about a mile north of the end of Lopez Road, east of Lake Ashby. Aircraft crews guided deputies through the wooded area and swamp to the downed plane, which was upside down and heavily damaged.
Although it was initially believed that one person was on board, it was later discovered that there were two occupants of the plane.
The names of the deceased have not been released as of this morning.
Authorities say the plane was a single-engine MXR Technologies MX2 out of Tybee Island, Georgia.
The crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Bureau.