DeLAND, Fla. – Three people were killed Sunday afternoon when a small plane crashed and caught on fire in DeLand, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Department.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Department said the plane crashed around 4 p.m. in a wooded area near State Road 44 and Grand Avenue. It’s not clear where the plane was heading to or coming from.
Authorities don't know what caused the plane to crash, but they said the units first on the scene discovered three bodies at the scene of the crash. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said all three people killed were adults.
The plane was a Cessna 421, according to reports.
"It coughed for a second. Went silent for a second and then boom," said witness Richard Kwiatkowski.
Dennis Morton lives nearby and heard the plane come down: "Putt, putt, putt and that was it."
Authorities said the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the crash and are now investigating.
News 6 spotted first responders walking behind the woods where the crash happened and emergency crews surveying the wreckage from high above.
People nearby tried to help.
"We were trying to put the fire out and see if we could get anybody out of the plane, but there’s nothing you could do, they were trapped in there," Kwiatkowski said.
A bystander captured cellphone video of the intense flames and heavy smoke shortly after the crash.
The victims' names have not been released.
Stay with News 6 for more updates.
