The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report of a Tuesday, Nov. 14 fatal plane crash that the 21-year-old pilot was heading to the Keystone Heights Airport when he reported he was lost in weather.
The pilot, identified by the family as Adrien James Valentine, crashed the Piper PA-28-180 in the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park near Micanopy.
According to the NTSB preliminary report, the 2020 Keystone Heights High School graduate made several erratic 360-degree turns, as well as numerous climbs and descents to a maximum altitude of 6,900 feet and a minimum altitude of 500 feet between 1:35 p.m. and 2:09 p.m. before losing radar contact.
“Preliminary review of air traffic control communications revealed that during the erratic maneuvering, the pilot called ‘mayday’ and stated he ‘was lost in weather,’” the report states. “During this period, the pilot reported multiple times that he was having issues with his instruments, he ‘mistakenly flew into weather,’ ‘it’s completely white,’ and he could not see anything outside.
