NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Authorities have identified the five people who died in a plane crash in West Nashville Monday night.
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said the Canadian family of five has been identified as pilot Victor Dotsenko, 43, his wife, Rimma Dotsenko, 39, and their three children, David, 12, Adam, 10, and Emma, 7.
According to the MNPD, at around 7:40 p.m. Monday, March 4, the control tower at John C. Tune Airport received a message from the pilot of a single-engine plane, saying they were experiencing engine and power failure and needed emergency approval to land. Officials gave approval to land on Runway 2, but the pilot then radioed the plane wasn’t going to make it to the airport.
The plane ended up crashing behind the Costco store just off the eastbound lanes of I-40. Authorities initially reported “several persons” were on board and it was believed everyone on board died. MNPD later confirmed five people died in the crash.
On Wednesday, March 6, News 2 obtained the 911 calls made by several witnesses who saw the plane go down. Many of the callers expressed a sense of urgency after witnessing the plane come down near the interstate and burst into flames. Other 911 calls demonstrate the confusion in the moments after the crash, with some initially believing it was a car that had crashed off the road.
According to Aaron McCarter, an Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), preliminary indications said the plane experienced a “catastrophic” and total loss of power in the engine “for reasons unknown.” The plane’s flight path originated from Ontario, Canada.
As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, McCarter said all the wreckage was packed up to be taken to an aviation facility in Springfield, where investigators will conduct a wreckage examination to determine what caused the engine failure.
The Nashville Fire Department said crews went to the crash site immediately after several witnesses saw the plane crash and were able to extinguish the fire, potentially preserving enough evidence for investigators to learn what led up to the crash.
Officials said they expect to have a preliminary report in about 10 days. However, it could take a year to complete a full analysis and probable cause.