Putnam County plane crash: 5 things to know

Two people were killed on Tuesday when a single-engine plane crashed in the St. Johns River in Putnam County. Here's what we know:

1. The plane took off from Mount Royal Airpark. 

Mount Royal Airpark is a small, 3,000-foot private airport located in a fly-in residential area of Putnam County. It's right on the St. Johns River in the small community of Welaka.

2. The plane took off around 3 p.m. Tuesday. It was a Kodiak 100 single-engine plane. 

The Kodiak is a fairly new plane, first manufactured in the early 2000s. According to the builder, Quest Aircraft, the plane is "the most advanced 10-seat short takeoff and landing turboprop."

Authorities first indicated that the plane crashed a few hours after takeoff. Initially, only one victim was found, but a second was found after a search. The plane crashed in about 10 feet of water and left a large debris field.

3. It will likely take a barge to move the wreckage from the water.

The Florida Highway Patrol, which took over the investigation into the crash, said the crash was difficult to access. A witness told the FHP that the plane crashed into the water around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, about an hour after sunset.

4. Investigators said they are having difficulty notifying victims’ next of kin. 

Next of kin to the two victims are believed to be from out of state. One one local man says one of the victims is his neighbor. The man only got the plane a couple of weeks ago, the neighbor said.

5. This is the second plane crash in the area in less than a year. Both crashes killed two people. 

In July 2017, a small plane crashed in Marineland on the St. Johns County/Flagler County line. The plane was traveling from Brunswick, Ga. to Ormond Beach in Volusia County. The crash killed a student pilot and an instructor.

Two found after plane crash Two found dead after a plane crashes into the St. Johns River

Video of plane in St. Johns River below:

Cox Media Group