Tyler Perry Studios president, Steve Mensch dies in plane crash in Florida

Steve Mensch, the president and general manager of studio operations at Tyler Perry Studios, has d!ed in a plane crash at the age of 62.

The Florida Highway Patrol said troopers found the 62-year-old de@d at the site where a single-seat plane went down near the intersection of Highway 19 and Longfellow St. in Homosassa, Florida.

Mensch was the pilot of the plane when it crashed on Friday night, December 6, a source close to the studio confirmed to Fox News. 

The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had d!ed.

“We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend Steve Mensch,” the studio said in a statement. “Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than eight years and well-beloved in the community of Atlanta. It’s hard to imagine not seeing him smiling throughout the halls. We will miss him dearly. Our heart goes out to his family as we all send them our prayers.”

The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

The single-engine Vans RV-12IS was registered to Mensch at his home address in the Atlanta suburb of Fayetteville, according to FAA records.

In a post to Instagram Saturday evening, Perry wrote: “I’ve been trying to understand this tragedy all day—what went wrong with that plane. Steve loved flying, and he loved that plane; he took so much pride in it. Steve Mensch was truly a kind soul and a great leader at the studio. We all adored him and are devastated that he’s gone. I’m praying for his family as we all try to make sense of this heartbreak.”