NTSB: Dale Jr.’s airplane bounced, went off runway
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — The airplane carrying NASCAR nice Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his household bounced, veered off the runway and ended up on a Tennessee state freeway throughout a crash touchdown, investigators mentioned Friday.
Nationwide Transportation Security Board investigators obtained surveillance video that included footage of the crash. NTSB investigators plan to difficulty a preliminary report in a couple of week.
“it is simply the grace of the nice Lord automobile did not get struck by the airplane,” Elizabethton police chief Jason Shaw mentioned throughout a information convention Thursday.
NEW: Video reveals thick, black smoke rising from the location of a small airplane crash that was carrying Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his household. Everybody on board, together with Earnhardt, escaped the wreck, mentioned the native sheriff. https://t.co/2nqljR6C5C pic.twitter.com/noizctpZVk
— ABC Information (@ABC) August 15, 2019
NTSB investigator Ralph Hicks mentioned the Cessna Quotation Latitude had left Statesville, North Carolina, about 20 minutes previous to the three:40 p.m. crash. Earnhardt was with spouse Amy, 15-month-old daughter Isla, a canine and two pilots.
Earnhardt, 44, was taken to a hospital for analysis. Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford mentioned there have been no critical accidents past cuts and abrasions.
“We need to reiterate our appreciation to the NASCAR group, first responders, medical workers, and race followers all over the place for the overwhelming assist within the final 24 hours,” JR Motorsports common supervisor Kelly Earnhardt Miller, the sister of Dale Earnhardt Jr., mentioned in an announcement Friday. “Dale, Amy, Isla and our two pilots are doing effectively.”
The assertion mentioned they had been helping the Federal Aviation Administration and the Nationwide Transportation Security Board with the investigation.
Earnhardt was scheduled to be a part of NBC’s broadcast crew for Saturday’s Cup Collection race at Bristol Motor Speedway however opted after the crash to take the weekend off to be together with his household. His supervisor instructed ESPN that they had been touring to their North Carolina dwelling by automobile Thursday night time.
The Related Press contributed to this report.