At about 2115 eastern time, a Piper PA-28-180 struck trees and crashed while on approach to Bacon County Airport. The pilot and two passengers were killed. The flight departed Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at about 1800. The pilot picked up the two passengers in Fort Pierce, Fla., and advised controllers he was headed for Bacon County Airport as an intermediate fuel stop. The pilot was receiving flight following but descended below radar coverage about nine miles southeast of the airport. The controller advised the pilot that radar services were terminated and the pilot acknowledged. The airplane crashed less than a mile from the runway threshold about 1,100 feet left of a straight in course for runway 33. Weather at the time included visibility of 1.75 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, broken ceiling at 1,600 feet and an overcast layer at 2,100 feet.
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