Sunday, October 01, 2017

Boeing T-45C Goshawk, US Navy: Accident occurred October 01, 2017 in Tellico Plains, Monroe County, Tennessee

An undated file photo of Lt. Patrick L. Ruth, 31, of Metairie, Louisiana. Ruth was one of two pilots who were killed Oct. 1 when their T-45C aircraft crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. 

An undated file photo of Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch, 25, of Horn Lake, Mississippi. Burch was one of two pilots who were killed Oct. 1 when their T-45C aircraft crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. 



TELLICO PLAINS - UPDATE Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017: The U.S. Navy has identified the two pilots who died in a plane crash in Cherokee National Forest on Sunday as 31-year-old Lt. Patrick L. Ruth, of Metairie, Louisiana, and 25-year-old Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch, of Horn Lake, Mississippi.

Both pilots were assigned to the "Eagles" of Training Squadron (VT) 7 based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi, the Navy said. 

Ruth had been a member of the squadron since 2015, and had served in the Navy for nine years. Burch joined VT-7 in 2016, and had served in the Navy for three years. 

The Navy previously said the T-45C Goshawk was carrying an instructor and a pilot when it crashed near Tellico Plains.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

UPDATE Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 at noon: The U.S. Navy has confirmed that the two pilots aboard a military aircraft that crashed in the Cherokee National Forest did not survive the crash.

Monroe County EMA Director David Chambers expects a military investigation into how the crash happened.

Earlier, officials said that an instructor and trainer were on board the T-45C Goshawk.

A community near the crash is sending prayers to the families of the pilots who were lost.

"It's sad, it's heartbreaking," said resident Marcie Moats.

Moats works at the Green Cove Store and Motel, just a few miles from the crash.

"And when you hear like a siren, and a few minutes later another one and few minutes later another one, then that's out of the ordinary."

It wasn't ordinary for resident Charles Murphy either--he saw the plane before it crashed.

"It was extremely low," said Murphy. "Otherwise nothing seemed wrong with it."

He says planes fly over all the time.

"We were unable to hear a boom or anything," said Murphy. "And until the emergency vehicles started appearing everywhere, did not know that anything had happened."

But the response of the community to help in whatever way they could encouraged Murphy.

"It's just what it's about," said Murphy. "You know, people taking care of people. But, you know, that's a rough day."

UPDATE Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.: Crews have arrived at the Cherokee National Forest to begin searching the site of a U.S. Navy jet crash.

The U.S. Navy said the T-45C Goshawk jet was flying from Meridian, Miss. It was carrying an instructor and a student at the time of the crash. 

On Sunday, UT Lifestar and Knox County Sheriff's Office helicopters were sent to that area to look for parachutes from above, but Monroe County EMA says none were found.

A helicopter returned Monday morning to begin searching.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Facebook page shared a post stating the crash happened near the fish hatchery on River Road in Tellico Plains.

A release from the U.S. Navy said two pilots were aboard the aircraft, an instructor and a student. Their status is unknown at this time.

The Chief of Naval Air Training is investigating the site of the crash as well as Monroe County authorities, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the U.S. Forestry Division.

David Chambers with Monroe County EMA said the operations in that area have been suspended, and security will be maintained overnight.

The aircraft was a T-45C Goshawk jet flying from Meridian, Miss. and was training near the area, according to the U.S. Navy's Twitter account.

The aircraft can carry a crew of two people and can fly at speeds of 645 miles per hour.

UT Lifestar and Knox County Sheriff's Office helicopters were sent to that area to look for parachutes from above, but Monroe County EMA says none were found.

UPDATE, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017 at 7:40 p.m.: Monroe County Sheriff's Office is at the scene of this crash. The FAA could not offer details about the crash and referred 10News to the the U.S. military for more information.

According to the Adjutant General Terry M. Haston with the Tennessee National Guard, "All Tennessee National (Guard) Aircraft are accounted for."

Previous story: Monroe County Sheriff's Office says county units are on the way to the scene of a plane crash in the Cherokee National Forest.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Facebook page shared a post stating the crash happened near the fish hatchery on River Road in Tellico Plains.

Dispatch says crews are on their way to the scene now.

It's unknown at this time what kind of plane and whether or not there are injuries.


Story and video ➤ http://www.wkyc.com

MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The United States military confirmed to Local 8 News a military aircraft crashed Sunday in Tellico Plains.

In a post to its Facebook page, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said the jet crashed in the Cherokee National Forest near the fish hatchery on River Road.

Investigators told Local 8 News they are keeping civilians three miles away from the crash site because the jet had explosives in it.

The U.S. Navy said in a news release that it's possibly a T-45 Goshawk jet aircraft from Training Air Wing ONE, based out of Meridian, Mississippi. The release stated the aircraft was training in the area and had not yet returned to the air station.

The Navy said there were two pilots aboard the aircraft — an instructor and a student. Their status is unknown at this time, but Federal authorities at the scene said they assume the crash is fatal.

"All indications are that there are no survivors, Monroe County Emergency Management Director David Chambers said. "We were able to get all the way to the cockpit area of the site, so as of this time we're assuming that — until we can have confirmation — there was no sign of survivors."

Authorities stopped recovery efforts Sunday night because of the explosives present at the crash site. The National Guard will be on the scene Monday to help find the plane.

Chambers said there's currently a no-fly zone around the crash site, to prevent any unnecessary air traffic.

Story and video:  http://www.local8now.com



TELLICO PLAINS (WATE) – Monroe County Emergency Management Agency confirms a military aircraft did crash near Tellico Plains Sunday evening and that there are likely no survivors in the crash.

The military plane was coming from Meridian, Mississippi.

According to a press release from a Navy base in Meridian, Mississippi said that a T-45C has been reported missing. “At this time, we know the wing had a T-45C Goshawk training in the vicinity of Tellico Plains that has not yet returned to the air station. The two passengers on board the T-45C were an instructor and a student. Their status is unknown at this time,” they said in the release.

The call came in around 4:00 p.m. The crash reportedly happening in the Cherokee National Forest near the Fish Hatchery on River Road.

A spokesperson for the FAA referred WATE 6 On Your Side to the U.S. Military. The Tennessee National Guard said it was not one of their planes. A spokesperson for the National Guard Public Affairs office in Virginia says “To the best of my knowledge, it was not a National Guard aircraft.”

The U.S. Navy did send a tweet out saying that a T-45C was training in the area of Tellico Plains.

Story and video:  http://wate.com




The U.S. Navy said on Twitter its aircraft crashed in the Cherokee National Forest near Tellico Plains Sunday afternoon, WBIR-TV in Knoxville reported.

The station quoted a Navy news release saying a pilot instructor and a student were aboard the T-45C jet out of Meridian, Miss., that was training in the area.

A witness described the crash to the Times Free Press on Sunday night. 

John DeArmond described himself in an email as a retired engineer who used to do contract work for the naval air station at Charleston, S.C., now called Joint Base Charleston. He's also an aviation enthusiast.

DeArmond said he lives about a mile and a half from the crash site and that the Air National Guard out of Knoxville routinely runs "NAP-of-the-earth" drills up through the Tellico River valley.

"It is a thrill to hear the immense roar and if one is quick enough, get a glimpse of the fighters," he wrote.

He said he was sitting in the Green Cove Store and Motel at about 4:40 p.m.Sunday when a fighter jet passed directly overhead "going low and slow and not sounding healthy." 

He drove up River Road and arrived at the crash site at the Holder Cove campground about 2 miles above the Tellico Trout Hatchery. He saw debris on the road and a burning engine high on the hill above the road.

"The fire burned out before I left. There was an odor of lube oil but no jet fuel odor. My conclusion is that the pilot ran out of fuel," DeArmond wrote.

He went back to the store and watched local responders and later federal officials pass by on their way to the site. He said a medical chopper dropped down, loaded up something and "took off in a bee line toward Knoxville."

The investigation will continue today, authorities said.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.timesfreepress.com

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