Three Killed, Including Spartanburg Man, in Western NC Plane Crash

Unfortunate Crash In Rutherfordton, North Carolina

A small plane crashed in the mountains near the McDowell/Rutherford County line in western North Carolina on Sunday night, taking the lives of three people, one victim hailed from Spartanburg. The fatal accident happened in the vicinity of the Brackett Town Road area.

The aircraft, identified by tail number 2198G, was confirmed to have departed from the Johnson County Airport in Mountain City, Tennessee around 8:29 p.m., headed for Rutherfordton. However, it never arrived at its destined location. Clear conditions were reported at the time of takeoff, despite some unfavorable weather in the general area.

The Victims and The Aftermath

The deceased persons were identified as pilot Adam Plummer, passenger Charles Mather Jr., and another passenger Scott George from Spartanburg. Scott George who was actively involved as a skydiving instructor with Skydive Carolina in Chester, leaves behind a community in mourning.

A statement was released by Air Star Aviation, the owner of the ill-fated aircraft. They assured that the plane had undergone all necessary scheduled maintenance and was not currently involved in any jump operations at the time of the tragic incident, thus ruling out any mechanical issues as the cause of the accident.

The Investigation

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have taken the reins of the crash investigation.

Despite Air Star Aviation suggesting the possibility of ‘unfavorable weather conditions’ as the likely cause of the accident, the conclusive cause is yet to be determined. The NTSB expects to release a preliminary report within the next 30 days and a more detailed final report broadly within the next 12-24 months which would identify the probable cause of death.

Tribute to a Lost Pilot

Those who knew Adam Plummer have started sharing their remembrances of him. Dave Garris, a manager at Johnson County Airport where the flight originated from, fondly recollected the professional pilot’s commitment to his craft. “He was a great guy. He was such an inspiration, a very hard worker, and was very dedicated to his craft. As far as his family goes, I couldn’t begin to fathom their hurt and their loss.” It’s clear that Plummer’s loss will be acutely felt both professionally and personally.