CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A single-engine plane crashed in the Cumberland River Monday afternoon in Cheatham County.
The pilot, identified by Sheriff Binkley as Darrell Whittaker, was found dead when the plane was found upside down in the river.
Officials told our reporter Nick Beres that it was an aerobatic plane, usually used for aerial stunts, that took off from nearby Whifferdill Airport around 1:45 p.m.
We don't know what caused the crash. On Tuesday afternoon, an NTSB investigator was on the scene of the crash to document the wreckage for evaluation.
NTSB investigations involve the pilot, aircraft and operating environment. A preliminary report is expected within the next 30 days to give more information about what happened during the accident.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
