icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
15 Aug, 2019 22:08

Plane carrying NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. bursts into flames after crash in Tennessee (VIDEO)

Plane carrying NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. bursts into flames after crash in Tennessee (VIDEO)

NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt Jr, his wife, and daughter have been taken to a hospital after a jet they were in skidded off the runway, catching fire just after landing. Video shows a pillar of dark smoke billowing from the site.

Earnhardt Jr., a semi-retired NASCAR driver and TV analyst, his wife Amy, daughter Isla, and their family dog were on board a small Cessna Citation private jet when it crash-landed at Elizabethton Airport in Carter County, Tennessee at 3:40pm local time.

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said that two pilots and three other people were aboard the plane. All five passengers and crew are reported to have been safely evacuated from the burning wreckage.

Footage of the scene shows the jet engulfed in flames and thick smoke billowing from its charred fuselage, as firetruck sirens blare in the background.

The driver’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, tweeted that “everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation.”  

The FAA together with the National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. It is so far unclear what might have triggered the mishap.

The family was reportedly heading to Bristol for the NASCAR racing weekend. The ill-fated plane was registered with JR Motosports, a professional stock racing team for which Earnhardt Jr. is competing.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
27:22
0:00
27:48