Local

The pilot whose small plane crashed near Waycross airport died, coroner says

The man’s wife thanked community members and friends for the outpouring of love for her husband of 23 years

WAYCROSS, Ga. — The pilot flying a small plane that crash near the Waycross-Ware County Airport on Saturday died as a result, the county coroner said.

Action News Jax is not naming the man, pending official notifications. His wife described the incident and thanked community members and friends for an outpouring of support in a post on Facebook.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Friday it is investigating a small plane crash near Waycross, Georgia with one person on board.

There was little information from officials about the crash, but the pilot’s wife and friends posted online that the experienced pilot operated a flight school at the airport and did not survive the crash.

Brittany Crews of Waycross created at GoFundMe.com page to raise money for the pilot’s family, which includes a 16-year-old daughter and his wife, who is eight months pregnant, the post said.

A local newspaper reported the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Waycross-Ware County Airport.

The airport’s main terminal was closed Friday, according to the Waycross Journal-Herald.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash involved a Beechcraft BE35, a single-engine aircraft with four seats, including the pilot’s.

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