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Former Butler Co. man and Slippery Rock HS grad injured in plane crash

Federal aviation officials are investigating Tuesday night's single-engine plane crash in Florida that seriously injured the pilot, a former Butler County man, and killed his passenger.

Federal aviation officials are investigating Tuesday night's single-engine plane crash in Florida that seriously injured the pilot, a former Butler County man, and killed his passenger.

Chase D. Zinn, 23, of Dayton Beach, formerly of Prospect, remains in the Halifax Health Medical Center with serious injuries, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Nandish Patel, 22, of Titusville, Crawford County died in the wreck.

Authorities said Zinn, a 2013 graduate of Slippery Rock High School, was piloting the plane about 7:30 p.m. when it crashed during takeoff at the Spruce Creek Airport in Port Orange.

The two-seat Cessna 140 “narrowly missed hitting a home,” said sheriff's office spokewsoman Laura Williams in a news release.

Patel was pronounced dead at the scene. Zinn was taken by ambulance to the hospital and admitted in critical condition.

A representative from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived that night to begin an investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting.

Zinn's family owned the plane, authorities said, which was removed from the scene and is being examined as part of the investigation,

Zinn is a flight instructor, according to his Facebook page. He graduated from the Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Fla.

There was no answer this morning at his family's home in Prospect.

A full story will appear in the Butler Eagle.

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