A tragic plane crash occurred next to Nashville, Tennessee’s Interstate 40, near the John C. Tune Airport, on Monday, March 4, 2024. The accident resulted in the deaths of all five passengers who were on board the single-engine aircraft.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the pilot reached out to John C. Tune Airport at about 7:40 p.m., reporting that his engine had shut down and seeking clearance for an emergency landing. However, the pilot was unable to make it to the airport despite being granted permission and a cleared runway. The single-engine Piper PA-32RT-300T aircraft subsequently crashed and caught fire in a grassy area behind a Costco outlet, roughly three miles from the airport.
The aircraft had taken off from Ontario, Canada, and had made stops in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. It departed from Mount Sterling around 7:19 p.m.
No injuries were reported among individuals on the ground, including those driving on the nearby interstate, and Kendra Loney, a representative of the Nashville Fire Department, confirmed that no vehicles or buildings were damaged in the crash. The wreckage was collected by emergency services for investigation purposes.
At a press conference at the crash site on Tuesday, Aaron McCarter of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the plane was carrying three children and two adults, all of whom were Canadian citizens. The aircraft was registered in Canada in July 2023.
The Metro Nashville Police Department identified the victims as pilot Victor Dotsenko, 43, his wife, Rimma Dotsenko, 39, and their three children, David, 12, Adam, 10, and Emma, 7.
The NTSB is focusing its investigation on the pilot’s qualifications, and the extent of his flying experience, including his total flight hours.
McCarter noted that investigations involving children can be particularly challenging but emphasized the importance of understanding the factors that led to the crash.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and friends and praised the fast response of emergency services. The Tennessee Department of Transportation managed traffic disruptions effectively, implementing diversions to ensure public safety and facilitate a comprehensive investigation.
Witness video footage showed the plane engulfed in fire and smoke. Images released by the police depicted the aircraft’s warped wreckage surrounded by emergency crews on a grassy roadside.
Live traffic camera footage showed a significant response from emergency services, which led to the halting of all eastbound traffic near the crash site and substantial traffic congestion on the closed section of I-40 East.
