Plane Crashes Carrying At Least 16 In Tennessee—Here’s What We Know

 

No fatalities were reported after an airplane carrying 20 people crashed in Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, though some passengers were airlifted to nearby hospitals with minor injuries.

Key Facts

Lyle Russell, public information officer for the city of Tullahoma, confirmed to Forbes there were no deaths due to the crash, but some minor injuries were reported.

The plane crashed at around 12:45 p.m. EDT on Sunday afternoon at Tullahoma Regional Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to Forbes.

Twenty people were on board the plane, the FAA said, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a social media post some passengers were airlifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

What To Watch For

Federal Aviation Administration officials are on the scene to investigate, Russell told Forbes, adding local officials will hold a press conference Sunday evening with more details about the crash.

Key Background

Sunday’s plane crash occurs amid heightened awareness about aviation safety, though there’s no indication planes are more unsafe than usual or that the Tennessee crash is linked to a pattern of flight issues. Recent incidents, like staffing shortages and multiple incidents of lost contact between air traffic controllers and airplanes at Newark Liberty International Airport, as well as multiple crashes, including a collision between an airplane and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., in February that killed 67 people, have sparked fears over flight safety. But in April, ABC News reported flight incidents in 2025 so far were down 10% year-over-year, citing data from the National Transportation Safety Board. Aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse told CNN in March that flying is still the safest mode of transportation, stating a passenger is, statistically speaking, safer on the plane than they are in the car ride to the airport.