Thursday, January 22, 2015

TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED WHEN A SMALL PLANE FROM TAILWHEELS ETC. FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL CRASHED INTO A STORAGE WAREHOUSE IN LAKELAND ON THURSDAY.



TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED WHEN A SMALL PLANE FROM TAILWHEELS ETC. FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL CRASHED INTO A STORAGE WAREHOUSE IN LAKELAND ON THURSDAY.








January 22, 2015




LAKELAND, Fla. — 




Two people were killed when a small plane from Tailwheels Etc. flight training school crashed into a storage warehouse in Lakeland on Thursday.




City spokesman Kevin Cook said the plane crashed into a building on Allen Kay Breed Highway, owned by Key Safety Systems. The company designs, develops and manufactures automotive safety systems including air bags and seat belts.




The victims were identified as pilot Terry Butt Sr., 62, of Winter Haven, and student pilot Gregory Geng, 41, of Hudson, Fla.




Witnesses said they saw the plane in distress about 10 a.m. When officials arrived, the warehouse was on fire.




Cook said the plane was a Twin Engine Piper Apache. He said there were chemicals in the building, and hazmat crews were called to the scene.




Alex Martinez, a student pilot, said he used to work with Butt at Tailwheels.



"He's been there a long time and did teach a lot of students," said Martinez. "He was respected by everyone. Everyone liked him."




The flight school sent out a statement that read, "There was an accident this morning in which we lost one of our aircraft, along with the lives of close friends."




Firefighters said they did not find any bodies at the crash scene and believe the intense fire may have burned them.




No one was inside the warehouse when the crash happened.




Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to arrive Thursday afternoon.




The Associated Press contributed to this report