YULEE, Fla. — Photos of the crash site show a yellow and white single-engine plane intact, resting in the marsh near Lofton Creek in Yulee.
Investigators say the plane went down around 10 a.m. Monday moments after taking off from the Flying A Ranch.
The pilot, 65-year-old Charlie Yeagle, was killed.
"He was a great guy. Lived down here for 30 years. He's flown in and out of the property for the last 30 years," said Jonathan Arnett.
The Flying A Ranch has been in his family for decades. He said Yeagle was an experienced pilot. He was a former commercial airline pilot and a flight instructor.
"He's really helped me out in my flying career," said Arnett. "I've flown with him several times."
"According to a witness, upon takeoff, it appeared that the aircraft lost power and it crashed in the marsh," said Undersheriff George Lueders with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
The crash site could only be accessed by boat. By the time first responders arrived, they say Yeagle was dead. Arnett calls the crash unfortunate -- a tragic loss of a close family friend.
"Family and everybody is just upset about what happened," he said.
Investigators say the plane went down before Yeagle could make any radio distress calls. They have not yet said where he was headed.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
The NTSB tells Action News they will have more information on the crash Tuesday. The sheriff's office said they left the scene Monday evening and that one NTSB investigator was on the scene Monday night. Action News did see DEP and FAA vehicles leave the scene before 7 p.m. Monday. We have also learned the plane was a 1948 Global Swift.
WJAX
