Marion County authorities identify pilot, passenger killed in small plane crash in Ocklawaha

Two victims have been identified by Marion County authorities after their bodies were recovered from a small plane crash at Carney Island Park in Ocklawaha.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies received a call about a small plane crash at Carney Island Park, located at 13275 SE 115th Avenue in Ocklawaha off Lake Weir, around 1 p.m. on Monday, August 9.

Upon arriving on the scene, deputies say they located citizens who had pulled the pilot, 64-year-old Joseph Hutton, from the water after they witnessed him jump from the falling plane.

Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) responded and pronounced Hutton deceased.

The MCSO Underwater Recovery Team began a search of the submerged aircraft for other victims.

Divers located a second victim, 72-year-old Scott Bingham, deceased inside the wreckage.

MCSO Major Crimes detectives will be conducting a death investigation and officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash.

The sheriff’s office says it will continue to provide updates as they become available. 

In October 2020, the city mourned the loss of Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham, who was killed after the plane he was piloting crashed.

In October 2019, a plane crash on SW College Road left two people dead.