Official: Crash at McKellar-Sipes likely caused by landing gear malfunction

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Wednesday afternoon plane crash at McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport appears to have been caused by a landing gear malfunction, according to Steve Smith, executive director of the Jackson-Madison County Airport Authority.

Smith says the FAA has been on site investigating the incident and interviewing witnesses and the pilot, Bill Douglas of Jackson.

Douglas was the only person aboard the plane. No one was injured in the crash.

The plane is a Beechcraft B100 owned by Nevada Holding Company, according to Smith.

He says the FAA also has been in contact with the NTSB.

Smith says the plane came to rest on a piece of FAA weather equipment which is now offline and could be for up to 30 days.

They are not letting anyone on site near the plane while the investigation is ongoing but hope to have it moved in the next few days.