Shocking moment single-engine plane hurtles toward Earth and crashes into massive fireball along Nashville freeway, killing all five people on board
This is the shocking moment a plane became engulfed in a ball of flames after it crashed next to a Nashville highway, killing all five people on board.
The single-engine plane crashed near Interstate 40 in the western part of the city around 8 p.m., officials said.
A pilot had contacted a nearby airport by radio and said there was an emergency engine and power failure WKRN. The pilot requested emergency clearance to land and later said they would not make the runway.
The plane crashed behind a Costco store, killing the unnamed pilot and passengers.
Video footage from nearby traffic cameras showed the stunning moment the small plane zoomed past the cameras and flew just above the highway. Moments later, a fireball could be seen coming from the highway.
Police in Nashville say five people are dead after a small plane crashed near a highway Monday evening
According to WKRN, a pilot had notified a nearby airport and said there was an emergency engine and power failure. The pilot requested emergency clearance to land and later said he would not make the runway
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash. Metro police and firefighters responded to the accident.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane coming from the north across the highway and crossing lanes before hitting the grassy median.
Nashville International Airport spokesperson Stacey Nickens said the plane, a C-FBWH, left Mount Sterling, Kentucky, around 7:19 p.m. and was expected to arrive at John C. Tune Airport in Nashville around 7:43 p.m., reported The Tennessean.
It is unclear why the small plane lost power.
“I had just seen this window crash on I-40, it went down and exploded. I thought it was a car crashing,” witness Dion Burnley said during a Facebook live broadcast.
Transportation officials said the eastbound lanes of I-40 were closed as crews responded to the scene.
Officials are speaking out about the tragedy, including Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
“Our thoughts go out to the loved ones of everyone aboard the single-engine aircraft that crashed near Interstate 40 tonight,” he said on X.
“I would like to thank the Metro emergency responders who quickly arrived on scene and extinguished the fire.”
The Nashville Fire Department has said its crews extinguished the fire without destroying evidence relevant to the crash probes.
Authorities posted a photo of the charred wreckage of the small plane in the grass along the highway
Transportation officials said the eastbound lanes of I-40 were closed as crews responded to the scene
Witnesses reported seeing the plane coming from the north across the highway and crossing lanes before hitting the grassy median
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority said it was alerted to the crash, which occurred three miles south of John C. Tune Airport, at 7:49 p.m.
Authorities do not know where the plane came from. Video captured the moment the plane burst into a fireball after hitting a grassy median
“We are saddened by the loss of souls who were on board, but we are proud of the work everyone is doing to stabilize this incident and ensure there are no additional casualties,” Metro Public Information Officer Kendra Loney added Fire brigade, please. .
Loney added that there were pieces of debris loose from the vessel at the scene, but officials quickly cleared them away so drivers could continue driving.
Despite this, traffic delays in the area are expected to continue at least until Tuesday morning.
It is unclear who owned the plane, which was officially registered in July 2023.