The pilot of a twin engine eight-seat Cessna killed when the plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Destin around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday has been identified as 63-year old Al Habetz of Louisiana.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be taking over the investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Coast Guard, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission launched boats to begin a search shortly after multiple people reported either seeing a plane crash into the water or hearing the impact.
The Coast Guard recovered the pilot’s body and no other people were believed to have been on board the aircraft.
Authorities have marked the site where they believe a large part of the plane is located underneath the surface and are returning to the scene this morning.
Habetz had reportedly flown into the Destin Airport earlier in the day, dropped off passengers, and was returning to Louisiana when the crash took place.
No additional details are available at this time
