MELROSE, Fla. – A pilot was taken to the hospital after a plane crash-landed Monday afternoon in Putnam County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Troopers identified the pilot as Abdulaziz Fawzi Qoutrah, 20, of Daytona Beach.
The crash was reported just before 5 p.m. in the wooded marsh area near State Road 26 and Swan Lake Drive, next to a camp site called Swan Lake.
"My kids and I were down by our lakeside, just swimming and having a good time. And we were just watching the helicopters and airplanes just circling and circling in for a good hour or so," said Jessica Hankins, who witnessed the crash.
The pilot was flying from Ormond Beach to Gainesville when the 1977 Cessna Model 152 fixed-wing airplane experienced engine troubles and crashed, investigators said.
The pilot complained about leg injuries, according to FHP. Putnam County Fire Rescue said the man was bleeding from his head and was disoriented.
He was airlifted to UF Health in Gainesville with serious injuries, the incident report said.
"It's sad because we're all really close out here and local and we all know each other and to know something went down," Hankins said. "Eventually we'll find out who but it's going to be sad to hear, hopefully they're OK."
Ed Booth, News4Jax aviation expert, said this is a common route for beginner pilots.
"This is typical of a student cross-county mission, which is one of the early learning phases of someone obtaining a private pilot or commercial certificate," Booth said. "From what we know now, the aircraft engines quit, (there could be) a number of reasons for that -- running out of fuel, mismanaging fuel or it could be a mechanical failure."
Steven Cichowsi described Melrose as a strong aviation town. He said it's not surprising to see planes overheard, but the whole community became concerned when the plane crashed Monday.
"You got Melrose landing right here through the woods right there. It's private and people live there and they have their airplanes and houses and they're always over, little experimental airplanes, all kinds of them, flying over," Cichowsi said.
The Federal Aviation Administration will be conducting an investigation.