NAPLES, Fla. -- A small plane went down in Naples, Fla., this morning, killing a professional race car driver and two passengers.

Naples Police officials say driver Cavin Councilor, 38, of the Automobile Racing Club of America was flying the single-engine, propeller-driven Piper Malibu. The plane hit nose first just after takeoff this morning.

Passenger Shawn Michael King also died in the crash. The identity of the third man isn't known yet.

The plane crashed near the headquarters of the Collier County Humane Society.

People say that the engine sounded like it had failed.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

Councilor, a native of Flint, Mich., who was living in Naples, made 57 career ARCA starts from 1997 to 2001 with a career-best fifth-place finish at Winchester Speedway in 1999, according to the league's Web site, arcaracing.com. Councilor posted 10 top-10 finishes.

The Web site also reports that in addition to driving in the ARCA series, Councilor fielded NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch Series cars as well as ARCA cars.