Authorities: Small plane crashes in Tennessee, no survivors

By: The Associated Press

news@abc6.com

GATLINBURG, T.N. – Authorities say a small plane with three people aboard has crashed in the mountains of eastern Tennessee, and no one survived.              

A reconnaissance flight by the Tennessee Army National Guard found the plane inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday.       

A release from the National Park Service says the three on the plane were 41-year-old David Starling, 42-year-old Kim Smith and 8-year-old Hunter Starling, all from Bradford County, Florida.              

The Cessna 182 aircraft was in route to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport on Monday when it disappeared.              

The Federal Aviation Administration says a family member contacted the agency when the flight didn’t arrive as expected.            

The victims will be recovered from the crash site on Wednesday and their identities need to be confirmed.

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