Authorities released the name of a pilot killed when his aircraft crashed into a Florida neighborhood.
Michael Bailey, 59, was the only person onboard the Cessna 401B plane when it went down causing a fiery explosion in a Wesley Chapel neighborhood April 19, according to Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The plane landed between homes, damaging one. No one on the ground was injured.
Christina Galbiati, who lives in the neighborhood, said her children were playing outside when she saw the plane flying low. She told Fox 13 Tampa Bay the pilot was a hero for landing the plane between homes and sparing more damage and injuries.
“He knew that it was going down, and he found a perfect spot to land,” Galbiati shared. “So he went straight in between houses, which I imagine is a pretty hard thing to do.”
The aircraft took off shortly before the crash from Tampa North Aero Park, a small airfield, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigate the cause of the crash.
Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Pilot ID’d in deadly plane crash that slammed into Florida neighborhood
Reporting by Michelle Spitzer, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
