OCALA, Fla. — Two people died in a plane crash Thursday afternoon, the Ocala Police Department said.
Investigators said the plane hit an SUV before crashing and bursting into flames at Southwest State Road 200 and Southwest 43rd Court.
Police said the man driving the SUV was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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The agency asked people to avoid the area near Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen and the Market Street at Heath Brook shopping center.
Investigators said Southwest State Road 200 will be closed from Southwest 43rd Steet Road to Southwest 60th Avenue for several hours.
Officials said the plane was returning to Ocala International Airport as part of a maintenance flight.
"We need to return to the field, sir," the pilot told an air traffic controller in a transmission.
"Make a turn and head back to the east, outside of the delta, please, for possible emergency, please," the air traffic controller said. "Exit the aircraft if you can. Exit the aircraft if you can."
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
We just learned the plane departed from The Ocala International Airport. Officials say it was some kind of maintenance flight. At this hour they aren’t sure what caused it to crash. pic.twitter.com/LF1IqoY5KH
— Myrt Price (@MPriceWFTV) October 31, 2019
Officials say the plane went down here on SR 200. As it was going down, it hit an SUV. pic.twitter.com/3WxhHVaI8Y
— Myrt Price (@MPriceWFTV) October 31, 2019
IMPORTANT
— Ocala Police Dept (@ocalapd) October 31, 2019
PLEASE AVOID THE AREA OF SW COLLEGE ROAD/SR 200 near Chedders and Marketstreet at Heathbrook all north and south bound traffic will be shut down due to an aircraft accident.
AVOID THE AREA if AT ALL possible.
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