Victim Identified By Family As John A. Hambleton

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 03.06.09 2030 EST: Officials have identified the type of aircraft that crashed into a recreational vehicle park in downtown Ocala, FL Friday afternoon, and family members say the sole victim was owner John A. Hambleton.

The accident aircraft was a homebuilt Stewart S-51, a scale replica of the WWII-vintage P-51 Mustang (similar to file photo, below). FAA records indicate the plane was built in 2002 by California pilot and noted racing aircraft builder Kevin Eldredge; it was registered to Hambleton, 80, at an address about 15 miles north of the site of Friday's accident.

No one on the ground was injured when the plane impacted two fifth-wheel travel trailers parked at the RV park just before 3 pm EST. Witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel they heard the aircraft sputter and 'pop' immediately before it crashed into trees surrounding the park, and then impacted the trailers.

"I heard the crack, crack, crack," said Mike Hishon, whose RV was parked nearby. "I heard the engine roar up. And then it crashed. It was engulfed in flames."

Officials had not released the pilot's identity as of Friday evening, but Rhonda Hambleton told the Ocala Star Banner her husband's father was the pilot of the accident plane.

"Any pilot in Ocala would know him," she said of the victim. "He was a great man -- unbelievably respected by everybody."

Investigators with the FAA are expected on scene by Saturday morning.

Original Report

1700 EST: The pilot of a small fixed-wing aircraft, type presently unknown, was killed when the plane impacted a recreational vehicle parking area in Ocala, FL Friday afternoon.

According to the Ocala Star Banner, local authorities received calls about an aircraft accident just before 3 pm local time. Firefighters were on scene within moments, and found two RVs on fire at the Wild Frontier RV Park off NW Gainesville Road, about eight miles northeast from Ocala Regional Airport.

No one was inside either RV, according to local officials. The pilot was believed to be the only person onboard the aircraft.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Mike Thomas told the paper he was nearby when he saw a plane flying from east to west. He says he then heard a 'pop,' and saw the plane's wings rock back and forth several times before it turned north, and rapidly descended.

The plane exploded on impact. Tenants in the RV park said the force of the blast lifted both RVs that were hit into the air.

Wild Frontier employee Tony Kubis said he saw what appeared to be the tail of a vintage aircraft in the smoke from the explosion. The plane was described as a "homebuilt" aircraft in news reports.

FAA spokesperson Kathleen Bergan told the Associated Press the aircraft was registered to John A. Hambleton, though the identity of the plane's pilot has not been released.

FAA records show four aircraft registered to a John Hambleton at the same address in Ocala -- two Champs, a homebuilt S-51 and a Rotorway Exec helicopter.

FMI: www.faa.gov