Media Release
Date: March 20, 2010
Time: 3:00 PM
Williston, Florida-Debbie Phillips a resident of 215 NE 212 Court Williston called the Levy County Sheriff's Office and stated that she heard what she thought was a gun shot, but when she looked out her window she discovered a plane had crashed in the field behind her house.
Levy County Sheriff's Deputies, EMS and Williston Fire Department responded to the scene and discovered an experimental small airplane upside down approximately 300 yards from the above residence. Deputies have confirmed that a 73 year old white male was deceased in the experimental airplane. Upon further investigation a second airplane a Piper 32 was discovered fully engulfed in flames approximately 400 yards to the west of the experimental plane. The Williston Fire Department extinguished the fire with water and foam and discovered two unidentified bodies in the second airplane crash.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the experimental airplane left the Ocala Airport this morning and the Piper 32 left the Williston Airport. The two had a mid air collision around 11:45 AM and the weather condition was sunny with clear skies. The Emergency Management Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is assisting at the scene which encompasses an area that is approximately ½ of a mile long and ¼ of a mile wide.
The Federal Aviation Administration investigators are also responding to assist in the crash. The flight plan and circumstances of the crash are unknown at this time. No identifications will be released until the next of kin are notified.
Update:
March 20, 2010
Time: 8:45 PM
The pilot of the Experimental airplane has been identified as Lee Hanley Sentman III, 01/27/37 from Summerfield, Fl.
Update: