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
