Small aircraft crashes in southwest Miami-Dade

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A small aircraft crashed Tuesday in southwest Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Erika Benitez said.

The crash was reported just after 11 a.m. at a nursery in the area of Southwest 217th Avenue and 312th Street, shortly after the pilot had taken off from Homestead General Aviation Airport.

Benitez said the pilot was checked out by Fire Rescue crews at the scene and was released.

According to Steve Diehl of Miami Glider, the aircraft appeared to be an ultralight, an experimental aircraft that is often homemade, which the Federal Aviation Administration later confirmed.

"It's a home-built aircraft, basically done per the requirements of the federal aviation regulations, Gus Del Valle from the FAA said.

It's unclear what led to the crash.

Authorities said the ultralight damaged a tent, but no one was injured on the ground.

The pilot's identity has not been released.