Three people were tragically killed in a small plane crash in White County on April 26. The victims included the pilot as well as two passengers, both of whom originally hailed from Alabama. The accident remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and no apparent cause for the crash has been publicly announced.

What is Known About the Crash

The plane had reportedly departed from Alabama on Saturday morning, and was on approach to the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport in Sparta, TN. However, the plane lost contact with the Memphis Air Control Tower at around 11:50 AM, at approximately the same time that a crash was reported. The remains of the plane were later found near Sparta, in an area that first responders described as “remote.”

Details About the Flight

The crashed plane was a Mooney M20TN, tail number N242RE, a single-engine plane that crashed on the morning Saturday, April 26.  The three people on board the flight included the pilot, as well as two passengers from Alabama, who were set to land in White County around the time of the accident. Unfortunately, all three people on board perished, and currently, there is no explanation as to what happened that caused the crash.

Possible Causes of the Crash

While no specifics are currently known, there are a few factors that may have contributed to the crash. Since there were no reported problems with the weather in White County in the vicinity of the accident, there is a possible chance that the plane suffered some kind of mechanical failure as the plane was on approach. There is also a chance the pilot made some kind of mistake which led to the plane going down.

What Happens Now

The cause of the accident will remain under investigation for the time being, which will be conducted by the FAA and NTSB. They will evaluate the crash to determine if there are any signs of erratic behavior on the part of the pilot, or if the plane had any mechanical issues that may have caused the crash. In the meantime, the victims will be autopsied and sent back to their loved ones so their loss can be mourned.