Authorities Identify Three Killed In Small Plane Crash In Florida Friday Afternoon

The victims are Michael Anders, 57, of Albany, Ky., Duane Shaw, 59, of Albany, Ky., and Charissee Peoples, 42, of Indianapolis., according to Orlando’s WESH.com. Anders was reportedly the registered owner of the single-engine aircraft.

Anders was a teacher at Clinton County High School in Albany, Ky. The school district posted a short memorial message on its website following the crash: "The Clinton County School District is very saddened by the loss of teacher Mr. Michael Anders. Mr. Anders was the Spanish teacher at Clinton County High School. He will be deeply missed by staff and students."

The aircraft, a 1957 Beechcraft H35 Bonanza, began experiencing engine problems around 2 p.m. EST, when the pilot reported that the plane was shaking uncontrollably. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic controllers in the area around 10 minutes later.

"The aviation radar person noticed they entered a bad weather cell area, and that's the last. They lost transmission," Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Justin Asbury told WESH.

Ten minutes later, the plane went into a steep dive before crashing into a house. At the time of the crash, the plane was only a mile from a nearby airport, possibly indicating that the pilot was attempting to make a safe landing.

The home’s owner, Susan Crockett, was inside the house at the time of the crash, but she was not seriously injured when the plane hit her home. 

Crockett crawled through her bedroom window to safely escape the house and was later taken to a nearby hospital for examination.

"She says it's all kind of a blur. She just remembered trying to get out. She said the house was on fire, and she got out," Susan Crockett’s daughter, Jessica Crockett, told WESH. "She did know that it was a plane because she could hear it. The fact that she survived, the fact that she was able to get out, my mom is a strong woman. Nothing will shake her. I don't know how she did it. She had an angel helping for sure."

WESH published an excerpt of the pilot’s conversation with an air traffic controller, in which the pilot discusses the plane's malfunctions. A portion of the conversation follows:

“Pilot: Daytona, this is 375-Bravo. We got a vibration in a prop. I need some help here.

“Pilot: We got oil-pressure problems. We're going to have to drop quickly here.

“Air Traffic Controller: 375-Bravo, you still with me? 375-Bravo, Daytona.”