A Tennessee man has been confirmed as the pilot who died Thursday afternoon when his private plane crashed at the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center on Florida 16 just east of Starke, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Herman E. Steele was the only person on board the 1968 Mooney M20C Ranger aircraft when it crashed about 3:15 p.m. between buildings and parking areas on the eastern side of Kingsley Lake in the center of the 73,000-acre National Guard training site, Sgt. Kevin Smith said.
Steele, whose age was not available, was flying the four-seat, single-engine back to Tennessee when the crash occurred, Smith said. He believes Steele may also have a residence in the Jacksonville area. He apparently decided to stop first at Cecil Airport to visit a family member but then radioed Jacksonville International Airport’s tower to report a problem. The Jacksonville tower’s air traffic controllers tried to contact him again, but Steele never responded, Smith said.
The Federal Aviation Administration handled the initial investigation into the crash, but the National Transportation Safety Board arrived on scene late Friday morning to determine its probable cause, Smith said.
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Pilot Herman E. Steele killed after his recently bought Mooney M.20C Ranger plane crashed inside Camp Blanding in Clay County, Florida.
Private plane goes down in deadly crash in Camp Blanding
Pilot killed, emergency officials say; FAA investigating
By Erik Avanier - Reporter
November 24, 2017
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. - A single-engine plane went down Thursday afternoon inside Camp Blanding, authorities said.
Only the pilot was on board, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman.
Clay County emergency operations officials said the pilot was killed.
FAA officials said they were notified that a Mooney M20 aircraft went down at Camp Blanding in Clay County about 3:15 p.m. Thursday. Clay County deputies said it was a private plane, not a military aircraft.
Camp Blanding is off State Road 16 near Kingsley Lake.
Local authorities will release the name of the pilot once family has been notified, and the FAA will release the aircraft registration after that, the spokeswoman said.
It is unclear what caused the plane to crash, but investigators are not overlooking weather conditions as a potential factor because it was raining and there may have been limited visibility.
News4Jax spoke with aviation expert Randy Reep about flying in the certain weather conditions.
"Any event that occurs in bad weather makes that event more difficult," Reep said. "You can’t fly in reference to the ground and (the pilot) is having to rely on his sensations to maneuver the airplane via instruments. It can very difficult, which is why the air traffic control system is designed the way it is."
Reep also mentioned that if the pilot was on a flight plan, there will be more evidence to collect because he would have been controlled through radio communications with the ground.
The FAA will investigate, and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause of the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol is assisting in the investigation
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Jacksonville, FL -
The Clay County Sheriff's Office is assisting, after a deadly plane crash on Camp Blanding property.
A sheriff's office spokesperson tells WOKV, they received a call from the Jacksonville Aviation Authority about a possible plane in distress Thursday afternoon. They had apparently lost contact with this plane, with the last known coordinates leading them to the area of Camp Blanding, where the crashed plane was found.
Clay County deputies say the plane involved was a private, single-engine aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Authority is investigating the crash and has released the following statement:
“A Mooney MO20 aircraft went down at Camp Blanding in Clay County, FL at about 3:15 pm today. Only the pilot was on board, local authorities will release the name and condition, the FAA will release the aircraft registration after that. The FAA will investigate, and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the probable cause of the accident.”
We're told the FAA will be taking over the investigation.
BLUE AND BEIGE FLYS GREAT MANUAL FLAPS AND GEAR T-BAR
Engine(s):
0=360 180 HP
Prop Specs:
3 BLADE HERTZELL
Engine(s):
0=360 180 HP
Prop Specs:
3 BLADE HERTZELL
Avionics
COM#1 GARMIN GNC420 GPS COM ENROUTE APCH CERTIFIED GPS
XPONDER KT76
COM#2 KX155 ILS GLIDE SLOPE
XPONDER KT76
COM#2 KX155 ILS GLIDE SLOPE
Interior
SIX
Exterior
SEVEN
Remarks
WILL SELL WITH FRESH ANNUAL
Herman Steele
TN
Date: 23-NOV-2017
Time: 15:15
Type:
Mooney M20C Ranger
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N6894N
C/n / msn: 680164
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: Camp Blanding, Clay County, FL -
United States of America Phase: Approach
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport: Ocala/Taylor Field Int’l (KOCF)
Destination airport: Cecil (KVQQ)
Narrative:
The aircraft impacted the terrain at Camp Blanding in Clay County, Florida. The airplane sustained unreported damage and the sole pilot onboard was fatally injured.
Sources: http://www.wokv.com/news/local/fatal-plane-crash-confirmed-camp-blanding-faa-investigating/Rrlx25CihQnZ54PkMg1x4J/
https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/clay-county/aircraft-reported-down-at-camp-blanding
http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/clay-county-agencies-respond-to-fatal-plane-crash/652676845
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N6894N
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N6894N
Reg: N6894N
Manu: MOONEY
Type: M20C
ICAO: M20P
CN: 680164
Hex: A92797
Old Owner: FIRST COAST FLIGHT SERVICE INC
New Owner: STEELE HERMAN E
Date Reg: 20170518
Status: Valid Registration
Reg: N6894N
Manu: MOONEY
Type: M20C
ICAO: M20P
CN: 680164
Hex: A92797
Owner: STEELE HERMAN E
Old Address: 2202 BLUE HERON COVE DR, ORANGE PARK, FL, 320034931, US
New Address: 8396 MOUNT JOY RD, MOUNT PLEASANT, TN, 384743217, US
Date Reg: 20170518
Status: Valid Registration
| Serial Number | 680164 | Status | Valid |
| Manufacturer Name | MOONEY | Certificate Issue Date | 05/18/2017 |
| Model | M20C | Expiration Date | 05/31/2020 |
| Type Aircraft | Fixed Wing Single-Engine | Type Engine | Reciprocating |
| Pending Number Change | None | Dealer | No |
| Date Change Authorized | None | Mode S Code (base 8 / oct) | 52223627 |
| MFR Year | 1968 | Mode S Code (base 16 / hex) | A92797 |
| Type Registration | Individual | Fractional Owner | NO |
Registered Owner
| Name | STEELE HERMAN E | ||
| Street | 8396 MOUNT JOY RD | ||
| City | MOUNT PLEASANT | State | TENNESSEE |
| County | MAURY | Zip Code | 38474-3217 |
| Country | UNITED STATES | ||
Airworthiness
| Engine Manufacturer | LYCOMING | Classification | Standard |
| Engine Model | O&VO-360 SER | Category | Normal |
| A/W Date | 06/28/1968 | ||