HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A married couple from Iowa was killed early Friday afternoon when their plane crashed in Hopkinsville.
Christian County emergency officials released the names of the couple who died as 69-year-old Dominic and Dr. Dianne Giammetta, 55, of Bettendorf, Iowa.
Captain Chris Miller with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office said residents in the area called them with reports of what what sounded like a downed aircraft off Shurdan Creek Road around 12:10 p.m.
First responders located the crashed plane in the woods where wreckage and debris spanned an area of 75 yards.
“Usually that indicates the severity of the crash, how hard the aircraft hits the earth,” Capt. Miller told News 2. “The plane is beyond recognizable.”
Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board arrived on the scene Saturday morning to begin a two to three day process of speaking with witnesses, analyzing the wreckage, and working to determine the cause of the crash.
Courtesy: Christian County Sheriff’s Department
According to an NTSB spokesperson, the plane was en route from Davenport, Iowa, to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, when it went down.
ABC affiliate WAAY-TV says a representative at Northwest Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals learned the plane was supposed to land between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Friday. The area is a popular stopping place for people traveling from the Midwest to Florida.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Beechcraft Bonanza BE36, a small single-engine aircraft with six seats.
The FAA is investigating alongside the NTSB.
The governor of Kentucky, Matt Bevin, released a statement Friday night that says, “We’ve received word of a multiple fatality plane crash in Hopkinsville. For all Kentuckians who understand the power of prayer, please join me in praying for the families and friends of those affected, and for strength and wisdom for our first responders.”