Two bodies have been recovered in connection with the crash of a single engine plane in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore of Destin Thursday evening. A 9-1-1 call was received by dispatchers at 6:52 p.m. from a man who said he saw a small prop plane go down near Henderson Beach State Recreation Area as he was running on the beach. First responders converged on the area and began searching along the coastline while the Coast Guard searched the water. They located debris and personal items scattered along the coast from the area between Henderson Beach and the Walton County line.
Officials at the Destin Airport reported that a Piper Archer was overdue. The plane was registered in Texas. Walton County Sheriff’s deputies assisting with the search reported finding the first victim, a female, in the water around 9 p.m. A male victim was found approximately 45 minutes later. No other individuals were believed to be on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating the cause of the crash. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the many agencies and individuals who provided assistance.
UPDATE
The plane was registered to a company called Electrical Training out of Alvin Texas. Next of kin notification has been made and the two victims aboard are believed to be 67-year old pilot James Shumbert and 60-year old passenger Sheryl Roe, both of Alvin Texas.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will be involved in investigating last night’s fatal plane crash of a Piper aircraft into the Gulf of Mexico as it approached the Destin Airport.
