2 killed when small plane crashes into a Florida river

CRESCENT CITY, Fla. – Authorities say two men have been killed after their small plane crashed into a river in Florida.

The Florida Times-Union reports that the single-engine Quest Kodiak 100 crashed Tuesday night into the St. Johns River in northeast Florida’s Putnam County. The tail of the mangled aircraft was just visible above the water’s surface.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the plane took off Tuesday afternoon from an airpark in Crescent City, Florida.

Officials didn’t immediately identify the pilot or the passenger, but Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane is registered to Pegasus of Montana LLC, based in Williamstown, West Virginia.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sought out a recovery company to remove the plane from the river.

The FAA says it will investigate. No cause was immediately given.

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Information from: The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com