A recent accident involving a small plane resulted in the deaths of five people, including three children. The plane crash, which occurred just outside of downtown Nashville, apparently occurred after the pilot reported losing power to the engine. The matter is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the exact cause of the accident has yet to be determined.

What Were the Circumstances Behind This Accident?

On Tuesday, March 5, a Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II, registered with tail number C-FBWH, took off from an airport located in Ontario, Canada, with five people onboard, including the pilot. Prior to the crash, the plane had stopped off in Erie, PA, and Mount Sterling, KY, and was en route to John C. Tune Airport (KJWN), located in Nashville, TN. All five people on board, including three child passengers, were Canadian citizens.

 

What Happened in This Accident?

 

At around 7:40 PM local time, the pilot for the plane reported to air traffic control that he had experienced engine failure and the plane was going down. Though they had cleared a runway at KJWN for his emergency landing, he had already descended too low to reach the airport and was unable to glide to the runway. As a result, the plane ultimately crashed about three miles away from the airport, resulting in the deaths of all people on board.

What Might Have Gone Wrong?

As of right now, the plane crash is still under investigation by the NTSB, who is cooperating with Canadian authorities to determine the potential cause of the accident. Given that the pilot reported losing power to the engine, it is possible that the plane experienced some kind of mechanical failure due to faulty parts or poor maintenance. It is also possible that pilot inexperience may have played a role, although not enough is known about the pilot at this point to determine what might have been done to avert the accident.

What Happens Now?

Investigators will be examining the evidence from the plane crash site for some time, checking for evidence of potential equipment failure or other issues that might have led to the accident. Meanwhile, there will also be an investigation into the pilot to determine if he was inexperienced or otherwise suffered from issues that may have contributed to the accident. Although a preliminary report will likely be out within ten days, the full report will not be available for another nine months.