Navy aircraft crashes in Tennessee, U.S. military confirms
A Navy aircraft carrying explosives crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, the U.S. military confirms Sunday. Federal authorities "assume the crash is fatal."
Officials are looking into the possibility that it is a T-45 Goshawk jet from Training Air Wing ONE based out of Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi.
CBS affiliate WVLT-TV writes that the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said the jet crashed in the Cherokee National Forest.
The station writes that investigators are keeping civilians three miles away from the crash site because the jet had explosives in it.
CORRECTION: Reported crash near Tellico Plains, TN. Not Callico Plains, TN. https://t.co/0XEePRBfiM
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) October 2, 2017
The U.S. Navy said in a news release that the aircraft was training in the area and didn't return to the air station.
A reporter with WVLT-TV posted an image from what appears to be Tellico Plains:
U.S. Navy: Instructor, student were aboard the aircraft that went missing near a plane crash site in Tellico Plainshttps://t.co/d0dJolUjvw pic.twitter.com/TKGKQ2aY7C
— Donovan Long (@WVLTDonovan) October 2, 2017
Officials say that two pilots were on board, including an instructor and student. Their status wasn't immediately known.
The U.S. National Guard says it will be in the area searching for the jet Monday.
The T-45 Goshawk is a tandem-seat, carrier capable, jet trainer whose mission is to train Navy and Marine Corps pilots, according to the U.S. Navy fact file online.
Tellico Plains is about 60 miles southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee.