BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — What began as a day of remembrance turned into tragedy Saturday morning when a small plane went down near Keystone Heights Airpark, killing a 46-year-old pilot from St. Augustine.
Hundreds of Jeep enthusiasts had gathered nearby for a fundraiser honoring fallen law enforcement officers when the crash happened just before noon.
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Witnesses said the event came to a sudden stop after a loud boom echoed across the area.
Wendy Drinkwater, who was attending the Jeep event, says she saw the plane crash during an aerobatic maneuver.
“There was an airplane during the aerobatics, and it went straight up like this. It started to come down, and it landed just like this on his back side and crashed,” Drinkwater said.
Drinkwater, a veteran with 20 years of naval aviation experience, including 10 years as a hydraulic mechanic. She said she knew immediately that the crash was fatal.
“He didn’t survive. That was my first thought, then called 911. I turned to my husband and said call 911. I’m not kidding. I just saw a plane crash,” she said.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the single-engine plane went down around 11 a.m. near Airport Road in Starke.
Drinkwater said she and her family were among the Jeep owners gathered when they saw the impact.
“I’m sure there’s family, and my heart goes out to them,” she said.
Another witness, Kaila Acosta, said the moment was chaotic and emotional.
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“And I turned around, and I see a fireball of flames and smoke,” Acosta recalled.
“In that moment, I felt helpless and useless. But all I can do is just give my good thoughts and give my prayers to the people who were around the person who crashed.”
Bradford County Fire Rescue says a small fire broke out after the crash but was quickly contained.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash.
Action News Jax reached out to the NTSB for updates, but has not yet received new information. Investigators are still working to determine what went wrong.
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