A tragic incident unfolded on Monday night as a small aircraft crashed into the shoulder of Interstate 40 in Nashville, erupting into flames and claiming the lives of all five individuals aboard, according to authorities.
The victims, consisting of two adults and three children, were identified as Canadian citizens. However, their identities are yet to be confirmed by officials, stated National Transportation Safety Board air safety investigator Aaron McCarter on Tuesday.
The ill-fated plane, experiencing engine and power failure, had been approved for an emergency landing at John C. Tune Airport. However, as indicated by Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron, it became evident to the pilot that the aircraft would not reach the tarmac in time.
Audio recordings from LiveATC.net captured the distressing exchange between the pilot and air traffic control moments before the fatal crash. The pilot, amidst the chaos, conveyed their struggle: “My engine shut off. I’m at sixteen hundred [feet]. I’m going to be landing … I don’t know where,” they informed the air traffic controller.
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Eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing scene as the aircraft, visibly distressed, descended over the interstate before ultimately crashing into a grassy area behind a Costco alongside I-40 East. Remarkably, the plane narrowly missed striking any buildings, averting further catastrophe, as highlighted by Aaron.
Tragically, upon impact, the aircraft was engulfed in flames, with the intensity of the crash leaving no survivors, as lamented by Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney.
The investigation into the crash will be undertaken by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, announced the FAA. The aircraft, identified as a Piper PA-32, had originated from Ontario, Canada, with scheduled stops in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Mount Sterling, Kentucky, for refueling purposes, according to McCarter.
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Despite being en route to John Tune Airport in Nashville, the plane deviated from its course and, for reasons unknown, bypassed the airport at 2,500 feet before ultimately reporting a complete loss of engine power and crashing into the highway, elaborated McCarter.
The aftermath of the crash led to the temporary closure of I-40 east at mile marker 202, disrupting traffic flow in the area, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation Region 3 spokeswoman Rebekah Hammonds.
Images and videos captured by witnesses and law enforcement personnel depicted the devastating aftermath of the tragedy, with the mangled remains of the aircraft serving as a somber reminder of the lives lost in the unfortunate accident.
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A spokesperson for the Nashville Fire Department said the plane imploded on impact. The “impact was catastrophic and did not leave any survivors,” the representative said.
The fire department was met with heavy flames as they reached the scene, but they were able to extinguish it and preserve evidence from the scene.
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