Plane Crash in Tennessee Kills 5 Ministers

Jenny Albano

Contributor

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A plane crash the morning of Saturday, September 1 killed all five passengers. The plane crashed in the Cherokee National Forest on Holston Mountain and the crash sight was not discovered for at least eight hours after the accident, when another pilot spotted the wreck. All five passengers were ministers, one was thought to be the pilot of the small plane.

The single-engine Beech Bonanza crashed after leaving the Elizabethton Municipal Airport, officials said. The aircraft had taken off from Hamblen County and landed in Elizabethton to pick up two passengers. It was destined for Virginia Highlands Airport near Abingdon, Va., about 40 miles from Elizabethton.

Rescuers said that the reason it took so long to find the plane crash is because the area is very remote and the trees can disguise the wreckage.

The Jehovah's ministers were all from East Tennessee and were on their way to Abingdon to meet with congregation members to talk about building a new church. The names of the ministers have not been released to the public.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Airlines, Cruises, Buses, and Other Mass Transit Accidents.