14 DAY TRIAL // Nashville International Airport officials are under fire for ignoring a fatal plane crash on early Tuesday morning.
A Canadian pilot died when a single-engine Cessna crashed in the airport. Another pilot discovered the plane at about 8:45 a.m., hours after the actual crash.
“At this point we’re still examining the air traffic control tapes and radar to determine if there was any communication between the aircraft and the control tower,” Jay Neylon, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, says.
No flight plan has been entered and the pilot's identity is not known at this point. The aircraft has been rented from Windsor Flying Club in Ontario, club president David Gillies tells the Tennessean.
“There are so many uncertainties surrounding this occurrence. I have no idea what flight plan he made. From our records we see that he was legally flying the airplane,” Gillies says.
“We’re all pretty broken up about having lost a fellow flyer. From our records we see that he was legally flying the airplane,” he adds.
The pilot had filed plans to travel to Pelee Island on Lake Erie, and he had checked in after landing.
He did not alert authorities about a second trip. Nashville airport does not require pilots to file officials flying plans, spokeswoman Emily Richard says.
“As an FAA certificated airport, MNAA is required to comply with the FAA’s safety standards. MNAA has long maintained a strong record of safety and follows stringent federal safety regulations.
“We uphold these regulations every day, including yesterday. We have inspectors and crash, fire and rescue personnel on duty 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to respond in the event of any emergency,” a statement by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority reads.
The NTSB and the FAA are currently investigating the crash. Metro Police, Metro Fire and Metro OEM all responded to the call about the fatality and examined the scene.