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

Steve Mensch, the president and general manager at Tyler Perry Studios, was killed when a single-engine plane he was piloting crashed Friday night in Florida.

The Citrus County Sheriff’s office identified Mensch as the sole occupant of the single-engine fixed-wing airplane that crashed Friday around 8 p.m. in Homosassa.

Tyler Perry Studios confirmed that Mensch had died.

“We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than 8 years, and well beloved in the community of Atlanta,” the studio said in a statement. “It is 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 closed parts of Highway 19 and Longfellow Street, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. All lanes were reopened just before 2:30 a.m.