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Randall Elbert Crawford, 67, from Carlisle, Pennsylvania was killed when one of Jack Brown's Seaplanes, a Piper J-3 Cub, collided with a Cherokee Piper 161 fixed-wing plane operated by Sunrise Aviation over Lake Hartridge near Winter Haven Regional Airport in Winter Haven, Florida shortly after 2 p.m., according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Two victims from the other plane have been identified as Faith Irene Baker, 24, of Winter Haven, a pilot/flight instructor with Sunrise Aviation, and Zachary Jean Mace, 19, of Winter Haven, a student at Polk State College, according to the Sheriff's Office's updated release.
The fourth victim has yet to be identified by officials but Jack Brown's Seaplane Base says it is one of its instructors "and dear friend, Lou DeFazio."
The company also released the following in a statement on its Facebook page on Wednesday morning, reading in part.
"Our prayers and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and (the) entire Polk State community as we walk through this dark time together. We are working with local authorities, the FAA, and the NTSB as the investigation continues. Our hope and prayer is that all affected by this tragedy feel God’s peace as we love each other through this difficult time."
The company calls Crawford" "a fellow seaplane enthusiast and long-time customer of the Base."
“My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed in today’s crash. The NTSB and FAA will be investigating the cause and circumstances of the collision. Please keep the families in your prayers during this difficult and stressful time,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.
It remains unclear what caused the crash.
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