VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities have identified the pilot who died after her small plane crashed into the water off New Smyrna Beach earlier this week.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office on Thursday said the pilot was 38-year-old Mihoko Tabata.
A preliminary autopsy shows Tabata died Tuesday night from injuries sustained in the crash.
Authorities say Tabata is from Japan but had been living in the United States. She came to Volusia County last Saturday.
Tabata was the only person aboard the Cessna 152 when it crashed, about a quarter mile offshore.
Tabata had contacted the control tower during her flight to report she was having trouble navigating through the foggy weather and was trying to find an airport to land the plane.
In the transmission obtained from LiveATC.net, the Tabata sounded lost.
"Hello? Hello?" she can be heard saying.
"Hello?" answered air traffic control.
"I don't know where I am. I want to land," the pilot responded.
Officials with the NTSB said the pilot had over 400 hours of flight time but was not checked out to fly a Cessna by herself.
The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
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