3 dead after plane that left Johnson County crashes in NC

MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (WJHL) — Three people are dead after a plane that left from Johnson County crashed in McDowell County, North Carolina on Sunday night.

McDowell County Emergency Management issued a press release shortly before 9:30 a.m. Monday stating crews were on the scene of a plane crash near Brackett Town Road in Dysartsville. At 1:09 p.m., McDowell County Emergency Management issued a new release confirming three fatalities in the crash.

Johnson County Airport Manager Dave Garris confirmed the plane took off from Johnson County around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday but never reached its destination. The plane had been bound for Rutherfordton, North Carolina, Garris told News Channel 11.

The identities of the deceased have not been released.

McDowell County Emergency Management stated the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was on the scene Monday afternoon. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was also alerted to the crash and will lead the investigation, the release stated.

The FAA confirmed the plane was a single-engine Cessna 182. The FAA told News Channel 11 that the plane crashed in the mountains near Rutherfordton and that three people had been aboard. An FAA spokesperson said a preliminary incident report will likely be available on Tuesday.

The NTSB said in a statement that an investigator was heading to the scene as of Monday afternoon. The investigator will start the process of documenting the scene and examining the wreckage of the plane crash. An NTSB investigation looks at three main sectors: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment.

Anyone who may have witnessed the plane crash is asked to contact the NTSB by emailing witness@ntsb.gov.

A preliminary report from the NTSB will be available within 30 days.

More than a dozen departments responded to the crash scene on Monday.

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