OCALA, Fla. – A couple was killed when a small plane crashed at a horse farm in Marion County, sheriff's deputies said.
Gilbert Jennings, 53, and Catherine Jennings, 50, of Morriston, Fla., were pronounced dead Thursday night at the crash site in western Marion County.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office said the small experimental sports aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff Thursday afternoon.
"His wife probably learned how to fly about a year ago and they bought a couple of planes and the one they died in was taking off from right here," said family friend Robert Douglas.
The plane's final destination was an airfield in the southeast Ocala area, and when the plane did not arrive as expected, family members called the Sheriff's Office.
"We miss them terribly. I mean were still in shock that it happened we were pallbearers at a funeral about two weeks ago and now we have to plan their funeral," Douglas said.
Marion County's Air 1 search helicopter found the crash site in a field on a horse farm near 2001 NW 110th Ave.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash.
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