A witness who saw Raymond Miller's plane flying overhead Oct. 3 heard the plane's engine stop before it circled around twice and then disappeared from his view, according a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Raymond Miller, 77, was killed after his experimental-type plane plunged into mud and water near Pellicer Creek, about 13 miles north-northwest of the Flagler County Airport.
According to the report, a witness who was in a residential community about 2.5 miles south of the crash site reported he observed a white/silver single-engine airplane flying overhead between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
The airplane was about 1,000 feet above the ground and was flying to the north when it experienced a sudden, complete loss of engine power, the witness told investigators.
The airplane turned to the left and completed two circular patterns before disappearing from the witnesses' view, the report states.
The witness told investigators he didn't hear any engine noise or sounds associated with a crash, and so he assumed the pilot performed a successful emergency landing at a nearby abandoned golf course.
Miller departed from the Flagler County Airport around 9:25 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3, and headed northeast. NTSB officials said it was the first time Miller went on a solo flight.
The plane was found Saturday, Oct. 4, in a tidal marsh near Pellicer Creek. The majority of the airplane was buried in mud and water.
It took crews five days to free the wreckage from the mud.
According to initial information from the Federal Aviation Administration, the all-metal, Y-tail, two-seat monoplane was built by Miller from a kit that was purchased in September 2010. It was issued an FAA special airworthiness certificate Jan. 5, 2013. The airplane was equipped with an 80-horsepower engine and was based at the Flagler County Airport for about six months.
A final report isn't expected for about another year, officials said.