Former Air Force And American Airlines Pilot Was Flying From Sebring To Ocoee, FL

A former U.S. Air Force and American Airlines pilot was fatally injured Tuesday in an accident in which weather may have been a factor.

The pilot, 64-year-old Riley Stevens of Anderson, TX, was flying from Sebring, FL to Ocoee, FL in his recently-purchased Pipistrel Virus SW LSA, according to a report from The Independent Mail. The Marion County, FL Coroner said through a spokesperson that the plane went down about an hour after two tornado warnings had been posted for the area where the accident occurred.

FAA investigator Robert Gonzalez said that Stevens had departed from Sebring Regional Airport just after 0800 local time Tuesday. He was flying at about 8,000 when he encountered severe weather between Ocala and Gainesville, FL. According to Gonzalez, the plane's left wing separated from the airplane, and was found 4.5 miles from the main wreckage.

Stevens was the only person on board the airplane when it went down, according to the report.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov