4 Dead in 2nd Florida Plane Crash This Month

Four people are dead after two small planes collided in Central Florida Tuesday afternoon, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

The crash occurred near Lake Hartridge with Polk County Chief Steve Lester telling reporters “it was an in-air collision and both planes immediately went into the water.”

The sheriff's office identified the four victims as Faith Baker, 24; Polk State College student Zachary Mace, 19; Randall Crawford, 67, from Pennsylvania and 78-year-old Louis Defazio of Texas.

Investigators said Baker and Mace were in a Cherokee Piper 161 plane operated by Sunrise Aviation/Polk State College while Crawford and Defazio were reportedly in the Piper J-3 Cub seaplane operated by Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Winter Haven.

Both planes are still in the lake and should be out by the end of the day, according to the sheriff's office.

"My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed in today's crash," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

A press conference Tuesday by the Polk County Sheriff's Office was broadcast on Facebook where the news about the crash and victims' names were given.

Tuesday’s plane crash was the second to occur in Florida just this month alone involving small aircrafts.

A small plane crashed in Palm Beach County Sunday night at Lantana Airport, where the two people on board were killed, according to WESH.

The pilot, John Holland, had been married for just two weeks and his pregnant wife, Lindi, spoke to WPBF 25 News and said she is due in six weeks.

"Very, very shocking. We have three dogs at home, and a cat, and I’m just in this house alone now without him," she said. "We’re expecting our first child together in about six weeks, and there’s a huge hole in my heart and my life.”

Lindi Holland said John worked for Aamro Aviation and on Sunday, he along with a student pilot were picking up a new plane from Kentucky when the crash occurred near landing.

"His whole family, his dad and mom and stepmom and sister, are all devastated," she said. "John was the best man. He would do anything for his family. He served our country for a number of years. He was an amazing pilot. Amazing husband, son, brother-in-law, son-in-law. Everyone said that John was a friend."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her with expenses.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

The student pilot who was killed has not been identified, according to WESH.

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