Plane crashes in Fla. while helping the military

TAMPA, Fla. – Officials are searching the wreckage of a small, civilian plane that crashed while assisting with a military training exercise in rural central Florida. No military officials or weapons were onboard.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that local authorities confirmed all three people aboard had died.

The Cessna M337B crashed Wednesday night in Avon Park. It was registered to Robert Savely of Sausalito, Calif. A telephone message left for a listing in that name wasn't immediately returned.

U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman Maj. Wes Ticer did not say what the plane was doing during the exercise but says it's not uncommon for civilian planes to be used for training.

The National Transportation Safety Board scheduled a Thursday evening news briefing at the crash site.