UPDATE: Men critically injured in fatal Calhoun Co. plane crash identified

CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) - The men who were critically injured in a Calhoun County plane crash that killed two people on Tuesday have been identified.

Calhoun County Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel says Devin Ferrell and Greyson McCroan were the men who were seriously hurt when the Cessna 172 crashed around 4:40 p.m. central time at the county airport in Blountstown. The sheriff says one of the men is recovering at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, while the other is at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

Kimbrel told WCTV Tuesday night one of his deputies, Lt. William ‘Randy’ McCroan died in the crash. He was a school resource officer and helicopter pilot for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

Kimbrel saying that Tuesday was actually McCroan’s last workday before retiring.

“He made a comment basically to his friend and asked what are you going to do now that you’re retiring? He responded: “I’m going to go and enjoy life,” Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel

Steve Mears Jr. also died in the crash, the sheriff said.

Students, faculty, and staff in Calhoun County are all grieving the loss of Lt. Randy McCroan and Steve Mears on Wednesday and days to come.

Counselors on standby ready to speak to students as needed.

Mears was a former prison guard and police officer, who also worked as a reserve officer for several departments. He owned a towing company.

McCroan worked as a resource officer spending most of his years at Altha and Carr School in Calhoun County.

Superintendent Darryl Taylor says that McCroan knew the names of all his students and loved interacting with them.

“I still think ultimately people, we will all, be thankful to have known them and the opportunity to be around them,” said Superintendent Darryl Taylor.

The Federal Aviation Administration says it and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The plane crashed outside the perimeter fence of the Calhoun County Airport, according to the FAA.

According to registration information connected to the plane, the registered owner was a North Carolina man.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

Below, you’ll find WCTV’s original story on the plane crash.

CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) — UPDATE 9:55 PM: Two people are dead and two critically injured after a plane crash in Calhoun County.

Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel said it happened around 4:40 p.m. central time Tuesday.

The sheriff said a Cessna 172, a four-seater plane, took off from the Calhoun County Airport.

Four men, from the Calhoun County area, were on board when for an unknown reason the plane crashed.

Sheriff Kimbrel confirmed Tuesday night that Steve Mears Jr. and Lieutenant William ‘Randy” McCroan died in that crash.

The sheriff said Lieutenant McCroan worked as a school resource officer and helicopter pilot for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

The other two men were life-flighted, in critical condition, to TMH.

Sheriff Kimbrel said at this time, they don’t know if Lieutenant McCroan was piloting the plane.

The FAA is now investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) — Two people are dead and two critically injured after a plane crash in Calhoun County.

WCTV talked with Calhoun County Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel around 8 p.m. Tuesday evening.

He said around 4:40 p.m. central time on Tuesday, a Cessna 172, four seater plane took off from the Calhoun County Airport.

Four men, all from the Calhoun County area, were on board, when for an unknown reason, the plane crashed.

Two of those men died.

Two were life-flighted, in critical condition, to an area hospital.

Sheriff Kimbrel said an investigation, by the FAA, is now underway to determine the cause of the crash.

Stay with WCTV, both on-air and online, as we learn more details.

Editor’s note: WCTV was originally told three men had died in the crash. The article has been updated to reflect the most up-to-date information.

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