A heartbreaking incident unfolded in East Tennessee on Friday afternoon as a small plane crashed in the Cherokee National Forest, tragically taking the lives of three individuals.
The victims were closely connected to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) golfer Carter Maneth, making the loss even more personal for the university community.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a Mooney M20 aircraft went down near Reliance, a remote area in Polk County, around 4:20 p.m.
Eastern Time on April 11. Authorities reported that three people were on board the plane at the time of the crash.
Emergency responders launched a search operation in the vicinity where the aircraft had last been tracked on radar.
Rescue teams, including personnel from the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management and the Cleveland Fire Department, located the crash site after a coordinated effort across multiple agencies.
The wreckage was discovered deep within the rugged landscape of the Cherokee National Forest, where all three passengers were found deceased.
On the following day, Middle Tennessee State University confirmed that the victims were the father and grandparents of Carter Maneth, a member of the men’s golf team.
The trio had been en route to the Tar Heel Intercollegiate, a collegiate golf tournament, when the fatal crash occurred.
The university extended its condolences and shared a heartfelt message of support for Maneth and his family.
As of now, officials have not released further information about what caused the crash. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are set to conduct a detailed investigation to determine the circumstances behind the tragedy.