Was Shooting Indy Film In Florida Keys

A 35-year old cinematographer was killed Saturday while shooting aerials in the Florida Keys.

Neal Fredericks, whose credits included "The Blair Witch Project," was working on another independent film, "Cross Bones."

The Cessna 206 (file photo, above right) from which he was shooting suffered apparent engine trouble at an altitude of about 500-feet. The engine quit and the aircraft sank in about 50 feet of water, according to "Cross Bones" writer-director Daniel Zirilli, who was also on board. He, along with a co-producer, camera assistant and the pilot were able to escape the sinking wreckage. Fredericks, however, was strapped in to a harness underneath the camera rig. Zirilli said he was unable to free himself before the airplane sank.

"It was sunny, no wind; the hurricane had passed 36 hours before," Zirilli told the Hollywood Reporter. "It was a glorious day. The pilot called us to go out. As far as we know, it was engine failure."

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 3800G    Make/Model: C206   Description: 206, P206, T206, TP206, U206, TU206, (T
 Date: 08/14/2004   Time: 1850

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: Fatal   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
 City: FORT JEFFERSON       State: FL  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT WAS ON VFR FLIGHT FROM MTH-DTF AND LOST ENGINE IN 50FT OF WATER. OTHER
 CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. 1 PASSENGER IS FATAL AND FOUR PERSONS SUSTAINED
 MINOR INJURIES. FT. JEFFERSON, GARDEN KEY, FL

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  1
         # Crew:  1  Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  1   Unk: 
         # Pass:  4   Fat:  1   Ser:  0   Min:  3   Unk: 
         # Grnd:       Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: UNKN                                    
                                           
OTHER DATA
 Activity: Pleasure   Phase: Cruise   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: MARATHON FL MTH      Dep Date: 08/14/2004  Dep. Time: 1730
 Destination: KEY WEST, FL EYW     Flt Plan: NONE     Wx Briefing: U
 Last Radio Cont: UNKN
 Last Clearance: UNKN

 FAA FSDO: MIAMI, FL (SO19)           Entry date: 08/16/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov