January 13, Micanopy, Fla. / Piper Comanche

At about 00:35 eastern time, a Piper PA-24-250 crashed three minutes after takeoff from Gainesville Regional Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. A refueler at the airport said the two occupants bought 30 gallons of fuel and told him they had just flown down from Pennsylvania. They joked about being tired and dragging. They also said they were concerned about continuing on but were too close to their destination to stay in Gainesville. The refueler also said ceilings were low at the time and there was light rain....

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Key Takeaways:

  • A Piper PA-24-250 crashed three minutes after takeoff from Gainesville Regional Airport, killing both the pilot and passenger.
  • The occupants had refueled after flying from Pennsylvania, expressing fatigue and concern about continuing, but felt pressured to proceed due to proximity to their destination.
  • Weather conditions at the time of the crash included low ceilings and light rain.
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At about 00:35 eastern time, a Piper PA-24-250 crashed three minutes after takeoff from Gainesville Regional Airport, killing the pilot and passenger. A refueler at the airport said the two occupants bought 30 gallons of fuel and told him they had just flown down from Pennsylvania. They joked about being tired and dragging. They also said they were concerned about continuing on but were too close to their destination to stay in Gainesville. The refueler also said ceilings were low at the time and there was light rain.

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