Steve Mensch, president and general manager of Tyler Perry Studios, was killed when the single-engine plane he was piloting crashed Friday night in Florida, according to multiple reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the single-engine plane with only one pilot on board crashed at 8 pm local time in Homosassa, Florida. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office identified Mensch as the victim, NBC and CNN reported.
Tyler Perry Studios confirmed the death in a statement to multiple media outlets.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve has been a valued member of our team for more than eight years, and is loved in the Atlanta community,” the studio said in a statement sent to NBC. “It’s hard to imagine not seeing him smiling across the halls.
Bevy Smith (L) and Steve Mensch attend Cocktails By Bevy Sundance 2019 at Tupelo on January 26, 2019 in Park City, Utah.
Initial reports of the crash came from the sheriff’s office, which in a Facebook post said the crash closed parts of Highway 19. In a later update from the office, they said all lanes were reopened at 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. current reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him at X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve Mensch of Tyler Perry Studios dies in plane crash: Reports