DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A student pilot and a pilot examiner were killed Wednesday morning when a small plane crashed just after take off from Daytona Beach International Airport.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University said the student pilot was flying with a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration designated pilot examiner when the plane crashed.
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Their names have not been released, pending notification of relatives.
Witnesses told media that a wing appeared to come off the Piper PA-28 as it was flying and it crashed into a field just before 10 a.m. Television pictures show that a wing hit the ground some distance from the main portion of the plane.
The cause of the accident, which was reported at 9:54 a.m. Wednesday near Tomoka Farms Road in Daytona Beach has not been determined. Embry-Riddle said it is cooperating fully with all appropriate authorities.
The Sheriff’s Office notified the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration of the crash, and authorities were expected to initiate an investigation of the circumstances.
The Embry-Riddle Counseling Center and the Chaplain’s Office are available to provide support, as needed, for students, faculty and staff, according to a notice from university President Dr. P. Barry Butler.
"Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to all those affected by this devastating loss," Butler wrote.