1 dead after plane crash in Anderson County, investigation continues

ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. ( WATE ) — The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a plane crash near Claxton and Powell Friday evening.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, one person died in the plane crash. The FAA shared that the single-engine Piper PA-32 crashed near a road in Powell around 4:30 p.m. on April 12. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating.

The victim has been identified as James Evan Scarlett, 45. He was pronounced dead on the scene and his body was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensics Center to conduct further examination.

The plane had taken off from McGhee Tyson Airport and was heading to Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Michigan according to ACSO.

The sheriff’s office shared that at 5:12 p.m. deputies responded to a call in the Tillery Road area to search for plane parts. ACSO added that callers reported hearing a crash.

A release from ACSO said that parts of the plane and luggage were also found in the Ashley Lane area. The plane was found in the woods near Gadsontown Lane according to the sheriff’s office.

At the scene, Captain Shain Vowell told WATE the crash happened in a wooded, rural area and no homes were damaged.

The Anderson County Emergency Management Agency, the Claxton Volunteer Fire Department, the Anderson County Rescue Squad, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Helicopter units assisted in the search. The recovered aircraft will be taken to Atlanta for further examination.

The National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation.

Vowell added that if anyone finds debris from the crash after the scene has been cleared, they should contact the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office through their non-emergency number at 865-457-2414, extension 9.

This story will be updated as more details become available.

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