Renegade Hit Water, Flipped Several Times

FAA and NTSB investigators are looking into the death of an Ocala (FL) man who was killed Thursday afternoon when his single-engine amphibious airplane crashed into Lake Weir (below, right). The man reportedly died even as several nearby boaters tried to save him.

Jack Edward Gilson, 76, was flying the four-seater plane, a Lake Renegade 250, near the Lake Weir Kiwanis Club Beach when the plane impacted the water, flipped several times and then sank.

Authorities said Gilson suffered lower-body trauma and died on impact.

They Tried To Save Him

Witness Gary Christie was returning to shore after a day of bass fishing when he saw the plane crash. He called 911 at 2:11 p.m.

Christie said he was circling the plane when he saw Gilson's body in the water. Christie and a group of people in a nearby pontoon boat tried to secure the body to a boat while waiting for help.

**Report created 2/24/03  Record 14**
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 811JG Make/Model: LA4  Description: LA-4/250 LAKE
  Date: 02/22/2003     Time: 1900
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: OCALA   State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON WATER AND NOSED OVER, ONE POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, LAKE WEIR,  OCALA,FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: UNK

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure  Phase: Landing  Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: OCALA/BELLEVIEW, FL   Dep Date:    Dep. Time:
  Destination: OCALA/BELLEVIEW, FL  Flt Plan: UNK   Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK   Last Clearance: UNK
  FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL  (SO15)  Entry date: 02/24/2003

FMI: www.ntsb.gov