A single-engine plane with two people on board crashed in Anderson County, Tennessee, Friday, leaving aircraft parts and luggage strewn across nearby residential yards.
The plane left McGhee Tyson Airport in Alcoa, Tennessee, at around 4:17 p.m. local time headed for Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Michigan, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The plane went down at around 4:34 p.m.
Over 30 minutes later, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office got calls about aircraft parts and luggage that had fallen into yards in Claxton, Tennessee. Callers also reported hearing the crash, according to the local Oak Ridger newspaper.
The plane’s remains were subsequently found in a wooded area. ACSO Capt. Shain Vowell told WATE-TV that the debris damaged no homes.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, but adverse weather conditions were in the area on Friday.
Wind speeds at McGhee Tyson Airport reached as high as 44 mph, and thunderstorms, including hail, were also observed passing over Tennessee, according to the Morristown, Tennessee, office of the National Weather Service.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the status or identity of the two people on board the Piper PA-32 aircraft.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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