This is the shocking moment a plane erupted into a ball of flames after crashing next to a highway in Nashville, 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.
According to WKRN, a pilot radioed a nearby airport and reported that there had been an emergency engine and power failure. The pilot requested emergency clearance to land and later said he would not reach the runway.
The plane crashed behind a Costco store, killing the unnamed pilot and passengers.
Videos from nearby traffic cameras showed the breathtaking moment the small plane flew past the cameras and just above the highway. Moments later, a fireball could be seen coming from the highway.
Nashville police say five people died after a small plane crashed near a highway Monday evening
According to WKRN, a pilot radioed a nearby airport and reported that there had been an emergency engine and power failure. The pilot requested emergency clearance to land and later said he would not reach the runway
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash. Metropolitan police and fire departments responded to the accident.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane coming over the highway from the north and crossing the roadway before hitting the grassy median.
Nashville International Airport spokeswoman Stacey Nickens said the plane, a C-FBWH, departed Mount Sterling, Kentucky, around 7:19 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at John C. Tune Airport in Nashville around 7:43 p.m., reported The Tennessean.
It's unclear why the small plane lost power.
“I had just seen this window hit on I-40, it crashed and exploded.” “I thought it was a car that crashed,” witness Dion Burnley said during a Facebook Live broadcast.
Transportation officials said the eastbound lanes of I-40 were closed as emergency crews attended the scene.
Officials commented on the tragedy, including Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell.
“Our thoughts are with the families of everyone aboard the single-engine plane that crashed near Interstate 40 this evening,” he said on X.
“I would like to thank the Metro emergency services who were quickly on site and extinguished the fire.”
The Nashville Fire Department said its crews extinguished the fire without destroying evidence relevant to the crash investigation.
Authorities released 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 emergency crews attended the scene
Witnesses reported seeing the plane coming over the highway from the north and crossing the roadway before hitting the grassy median
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority said it was notified of 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. The video shows the moment the plane erupted into a fireball after hitting a grassy median
“We are saddened by the loss of souls on board, but we are proud of the work everyone is doing to stabilize this incident and ensure there were no additional casualties,” added Metro Fire Public Information Officer Kendra Loney Department, added.
Loney added that there was loose debris from the vehicle at the scene of the accident, but officers quickly removed it so drivers could continue driving.
However, it is expected that there will be traffic disruptions in the region until at least Tuesday morning.
It is unclear who owned the aircraft, which was officially registered back in July 2023.