(WatchDogReport.org) – Several people have died in a plane crash in Tennessee, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. The NPD stated that multiple people witnessed the single-engine small plane crash near the shoulder off the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 at roughly 7:45 P.M. on March 4.
At a press briefing, Nashville Fire Department public information officer Kendra Loney revealed that the plane imploded upon impact. Loney stressed how catastrophic the impact was and that it did not leave any survivors. Crews continued to assess the wreckage before authorities could reveal the exact number of casualties.
According to NPD spokesman Don Aaron, the plane’s pilot requested an emergency landing after experiencing engine problems but crashed just three miles south of Nashville’s John C. Tune airport. Aaron stated that several witnesses saw the plane experience difficulties and that the pilot was struggling to maintain control of the aircraft. Video from traffic cameras in the vicinity captured footage of the plane crashing in a huge fireball. The crash was confirmed to have killed all five people onboard the plane.
The pilot contacted air traffic controllers at the airport at roughly 7:40 P.M. to say that his engine had shut down and that he was circling to land after overshooting the airport. The second runway was cleared at the airport, but as the aircraft lost altitude, the last air traffic controllers heard from the pilot was him saying he was too far away and would not make it. Witness Matthew Wiser commented that while driving on the interstate, he saw the plane fall and hit the ground at approximately a 45-degree angle. Wiser estimated the size of the fireball to be 30 to 40 feet. Air traffic controllers then directed a helicopter to search for the plane and keep other aircraft away from the emergency area.
The NFD reported that no vehicles or buildings were damaged in the crash, and no drivers were injured. The plane, a Piper PA-32R manufactured in 1978, flew from Ontario and made refueling stops in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. According to National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron McCarter, the plane experienced no known mechanical issues on the journey until the crash, and an investigation is underway. There were reportedly three children and another adult aboard the aircraft.
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