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3 dead after plane crashes near Zephyrhills

Staff photo by FRED BELLET

Pasco County Fire Rescue firefighters load up with hose as they prepare to make a trip into heavy brush and woods en route to extinguish flames from the plane crash.

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TBO.com

Published: October 23, 2009

Updated: 10/23/2009 10:28 pm

A single-engine plane crashed tonight near Zephyrhills, killing all three people aboard, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said.

The plane went down in a swampy area near U.S. 98, two to three miles north of County Road 54.

The plane, a Piper Malibu, is registered to Citrus Aviation of Lakeland. Three people were on board when the plane left Gainesville en route to Lakeland, Bergen said. The company is registered to Robert Stallings, the owner and president of Stallings Crop Insurance, which is based in Lakeland and has a regional office in Marianna.

About 20 miles north of Lakeland, the pilot declared an emergency, Bergen said. The controllers decided to redirect the flight to Zephyrhills Airport, which was closer to the plane's location at the time. The plane crashed about three quarters of a mile northeast of the airport.

Soon after the crash, firefighters with hoses and fire extinguishers went into the area.

Stay with TBO.com for developments.

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