Pilot Lacked Optional Certification in Fatal Tennessee Plane Crash

A plane crash claimed the lives of three individuals on Monday night in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The pilot, accompanied by his 8-year-old son and 42-year-old girlfriend, was flying the Cessna 182 single-engine plane from the Jacksonville, Florida area to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge, Tennessee airport in order to visit relatives. He lost contact with radar and communications with the airport tower at the McGhee Tyson airport in Knoxville around 5 pm that night before crashing into the mountainside while trying to land the plane. According to the pilot’s FAA airman certification, the 41-year-old man lacked the optional instrument flight rules (IFR) certification, which is not an FAA requirement for private plane owners. The Tennessee Army National Guard located the plane wreckage the following day, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct the crash investigation.

Half of pilots flying planes lack the optional IFR certification issued by the FAA. Although it is not a requirement for private plane owners, when a less experienced and/or educated pilot operates a plane they may not know how to handle a challenging flight due to erratic weather patterns, faulty instrumentation or other dire circumstances. Planes traveling at higher elevation levels at greater speeds may be in danger of crash landings, especially with a less experienced pilot, which may cause serious injuries and even fatalities.

If you or someone you love sustained personal injuries in a plane crash, contact our experienced wrongful death attorney at the Marrone Law Firm, LLC at 866-732-6700. Contact us online for a free initial consultation to learn how we can help.