By Jerry Jordan, Editor
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – Officials working the scene of a plane crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Elizabethton Municipal Airport said the plane was fully involved in flames when they arrived at the scene but everyone on board had survived.
“It appears it was something mechanical or something but he ran off the runway, through a fence and onto Highway 91,” said Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford. “The plane burst into flames and it was burning when we arrived.”
Lunceford said he was surprised when he realized that everyone on board the plane was alive and had escaped. He confirmed Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s plane was the largest that has ever crashed at the airport. The runway is 5,000-feet long. According to the Cessna website the Latitude needs 2,480 feet to land.
“There were five people and one dog, everyone made it out alive – Dale Earnhardt Jr., wife, child, (and dog), pilot and co-pilot,” Lunceford said. “The only thing I know is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was transported by EMS.”
He said the pilot and co-pilot left the scene in a private vehicle and he did not see where, or how, Amy and Isla departed the scene.
“The fuel leaked down and ran down 91 toward us and that is what you see still smoldering right now,” he said.
Lunceford said the fire department has used barriers to keep the excess fuel from running into area waterways.
EDITOR’s NOTE: We will update this story later as more information becomes available. We are working on getting updates on Dale Earnhardt Jr. Amy, Isla and the pilots.
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