Military plane crashes in Florida

FORT PIERCE, Florida (AP) -- A military plane crashed Tuesday on a ranch northeast of Lake Okeechobee in Florida, authorities said.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said the plane went down about 10:30 a.m. at the V-Bar-2 Ranch.

The military told the sheriff's office that it was missing an F-18, sheriff's spokesman Mark Weinberg said. But it wasn't known if it was a single-seat or two-seat version, and if anyone survived the crash, he said.

A witness who saw the plane go down didn't see anyone eject, Weinberg said.

The wreckage was smoldering but wasn't in flames, according to radio station WQCS, citing a witness.

The crash site is east of the Air Force's Avon Park bombing range.