Small Plane Crash Kills Pilot, Injures Student

Winter Haven, FLOne man died and another was seriously injured in a small plane crash on Highway 92 West in Florida this morning.

The plane, a 1974 Beach C23, reportedly lost power at an altitude of about 300 feet, shortly after take off from the Winter Haven Municipal Airport. It then banked to the right and came down, according to media reports.

Juan Jackson was driving his truck on the eastbound section of US 92 when he witnessed the plane crash. He told reporters that he saw the plane coming in low and that he thought it might hit him. Instead, the plane touched down on the westbound lane of the highway, tried to pull up and struck a pine tree.

Jackson stopped his truck and, with the assistance of another man on the scene, pulled the pilot from the plane, who was still alive at this point. Jackson then went back to plane, where he heard the student yelling, "Get me out of here, get me out of here." Jackson pulled him from the wreckage.

During this time the pilot lost his vital signs. Jackson and the other man on the scene tried to perform CPR but could not revive him. An ambulance arrived shortly afterward.

A small white terrier mix named Zulu, who was owned by the pilot, miraculously survived the crash without serious injury.