The pilot and plane were flying from Sebastian, Florida, to Palatka, Florida. The plane dropped from radar and was found in a remote, wooded area.
The wreckage from a deadly plane crash in Flagler County has been recovered and taken to a facility to be reviewed, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed to FOX 35 Orlando.
In a statement, the NTSB said the plane wreckage has been taken to a secure facility in Jacksonville, Florida, where it would be further examined. It's unclear how long that process will take.
The backstory:
The FAA and NTSB said the 10-seat Cessna 208 plane took off from Sebastian Airport around 5 p.m. on Friday and was expected to land at the Palatka Airport - about 160 miles or so away. The pilot, who has not been identified, was the only person onboard.
Official said the plane appeared to have lost contact with air traffic control and radar - and appeared to have descended rapidly. The NTSB said the plane made a right turn during the flight and then disappeared from the radar.
Flagler County deputies and Volusia Sheriff's Office's helicopter crew found the wreckage around 1 a.m. Saturday morning in a remote, wooded area near the Flagler-Volusia county lines.
"Worst conditions you could imagine to find an aircraft," said Sheriff Staly, noting that it was pitch black with heavy cloud cover. He said deputies smelled fuel, which helped teams work together to keep the search to a specific area.
Sheriff Staly said the pilot was presumed dead based on the debris field and how the plane appeared to have struck the ground. He said it appeared that the plane hit the ground nose first.
What we don't know:
FCSO has not yet identified the pilot, pending family notification. FOX 35 reached out to the sheriff's office on Sunday for an update, but did not immediately hear back.
What we know:
Rook Nelson, president of EagleAir Transport, an Illinois-based aviation company, said one of its planes was involved in the crash, but that it was leased out to another company.
Sheriff Staly told reporters that the type of plane involved was typically used for skydiving missions and that he was told it was to be used for upcoming skydiving flights.