Thomas Russell Harvey Obituary, Death; – A 75-year-old man from Jacksonville, identified as Thomas Russell Harvey, was tragically killed in a plane crash in Flagler County over the weekend, as reported by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in a news release issued on Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred when Harvey, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was piloting a Cessna 208 that took off from Sebastian Municipal Airport at approximately 5:50 p.m. on Friday, en route to a location in Palatka, according to a statement from an NTSB official.
Authorities indicated that after making a right turn, the plane vanished from radar. The wreckage was located in a densely wooded area around 6:40 p.m. on Friday and was discovered shortly after midnight.
Sheriff Rick Staly of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office remarked that the aircraft was “unrecognizable” upon discovery by the recovery teams.
First Coast News confirmed that the plane was intended for use by a skydiving company at Palatka Municipal Airport. An instructor from Skydive Palatka mentioned that they were relying on this aircraft, which has a capacity for approximately a dozen individuals, to facilitate skydiving operations on Saturday. Following the crash, however, the company opted to reschedule all flights and ceased operations for the day.
The investigation into the crash is currently underway, with the final report anticipated to take between 12 to 24 months to complete. The NTSB has stated that investigators will seek radar data, weather conditions, maintenance logs, and the pilot’s medical history. The investigation will encompass an examination of the pilot, the aircraft, and the surrounding environment.
A preliminary report is expected to be released within 30 days of the incident, containing factual information collected during the initial stages of the investigation. The final report will detail the probable cause of the crash and any contributing factors.
Witnesses to the crash or individuals with relevant information are encouraged to come forward.
