Five passengers have died after a small plane crashed onto a Nashville highway and burst into flames on Monday evening.
The single-engine plane crashed off the eastbound lanes of Nashville’s Interstate 40 just past the Charlotte Pk exit, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shared inupdatesposted on X (formerly Twitter).
Before the crash, the pilot shared that the aircraft had engine failure in an emergency call to John C. Tune Airport in Nashville at around 7:40 p.m. local time, theAssociated PressandCNNreported.
The debris from the plane crash in Nashville, Tennessee.AP Photo/George Walker IV
AP Photo/George Walker IV
According to the outlets, police department spokesman Don Aaron said the pilot was given the all-clear to make an emergency landing, however shortly after he reported that he wasn’t able to reach the airport.
Aaron recalled witnesses of the crash saying the plane was “obviously in distress as it was coming over the interstate.”
“We are fortunate the aircraft did not hit any buildings as it went down,” he added, per CNN.
The single-engine plane crashed off Interstate 40 in Nashville on Monday evening.METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The Nashville Fire Department were on the scene following the crash.
“NFD crews responded to this single-engine airplane crash where heavy fire was present when they arrived on scene,” the NFD said in astatementposted on X. “Crews were able to put the fire out while preserving evidence so the appropriate agencies can investigate what led to the deadly crash.”
NFD spokesperson Kendra Loney added of the crash, per CNN, “That impact was catastrophic and did not leave any survivors.”
The crash killed five passengers on board the plane.AP Photo/George Walker IV
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Loney confirmed to the outlet that no drivers on the highway were injured in the crash.
The closure of I-40 East at mile marker 202 was enforced following the crash, Tennessee Department of Transportation Region 3 spokeswoman Rebekah Hammondsannounced on X.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department for further comment.
source: people.com
