at the end of the Third Seminole War and later in the century the island was occupied by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Defense considerations during the Spanish–American War led to the construction of Fort Dade on the island in 1898, and Egmont Key remained a military reservation until 1923. In 1928, Pan Am's first crash occurred in the Gulf of Mexico near Egmont. On August 15th that year, a Fokker/Atlantic F.VIIIb/3m that was turned into a "C-2 Tri-motor", General Machado (NC55 or 53), was operating a Pan Am flight from Havana to Key West, when it became lost and ditched off of the island after running out of fuel. 1 of the 5 occupants, Norman Ageton, died. The plane had been originally built as a F.VIIIb/3m for Colonial Air Transport. In 1974, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took over Egmont Key. They turned the island over to the State of Florida in 1989, and it became a state park. Budgetary concerns in 2009 led to a proposal to close the park. Harbor pilot station Since 1926, Egmont Key has been the location of the Tampa Bay Pilot Association's Pilot Station operation guiding ship traffic safely into and out of the port of Tampa, protecting the wildlife and environment from damage. Gallery Notes References Egmont Key State Park at Florida State Parks Egmont Key State Park at Absolutely Florida Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hillsborough County listings at Register of Historic Places Hillsborough County listings at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs External links Egmont Key Alliance website An island of history: Egmont Key State parks of Florida National Register of Historic Places in Hillsborough County, Florida National Wildlife Refuges in Florida Protected areas established in 1974 Tourist attractions in the Tampa Bay area 1974 establishments in Florida Tampa Bay National Register of Historic Places in Florida