DETAILS: WHY AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THERE IS A PLANE CRASH IN MORGAN CO
UPDATE: The search has now moved to Hinch Mountain in Cumberland County.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement Tuesday morning: “The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notice (ALNOT) today at 9:23 a.m. local time to public safety agencies, pilots and airports to alert them about a missing Gulfstream American AA-5A. The flight departed Rockwood Municipal Airport in Tennessee. Local authorities are searching for the aircraft.”.
The plane single-engine plane has not been located as of this time, according to officials.
According to reports, the pilot of a plane was flying in the Roane County/Morgan County area and was on a cell phone with (someone) when the communication suddenly stopped from the pilot’s phone. This is the initial reason given for the fear that the plane had crashed. Currently, there is a helicopter flying in the area looking for a possible downed aircraft.
The plane is a four-seater. It’s not clear how many people may have been aboard.
Sgt. Gary Howard, Community Services Director for the Cumberland Co. Sheriff’s Office said first responders were alerted to the possible crash of a single-engine plane at 7:32 a.m. CDT.
District Attorney General Russell Johnson said in a post on Facebook that it is believed the plane took off from the Rockwood Airport and possibly crashed in the Mt. Roosevelt area. The airport is located where the three counties come together, and it is believed at this time the plane may have crashed in Cumberland County, though that is not confirmed.
Just before 11 a.m. EDT, the Cumberland Co. Sheriff’s Office tweeted that the search area is being narrowed to locations near the Rockwood Airport from the Old Highway 28 area and the crash could have been in Morgan County.
