A private plane carrying NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family rolled off the runway and caught fire in Tennessee on Thursday, ...
A private plane carrying NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family rolled off the runway and caught fire in Tennessee on Thursday, authorities have revealed.
Also on board the small aircraft was Earnhardt's wife, Amy, their one-year-old daughter, Isla, and the family dog, Gus.
The plane, registered under Earnhardt's JR Motorsports, crashed at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Carter County at around 3:40pm on Thursday afternoon.
No one was killed in the crash, according to Elizabethton fire chief Barry Carrier. All of those on board, including the two pilots made it out from the plane alive, and the Earnhardt family have since been released from the hospital.
A private plane carrying NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., his wife Amy and one-year-old daughter Isla (all pictured together ran off the runway and caught fire in Tennessee on Thursday
The entire family has survived the crash, along with the the two pilots. Pictured is the small plane ablaze
These photos show Earnhardt on the grass being treated after the fiery crash. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries
The plane ran off the runway and caught fire at the Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee
Pictures from the scene show the 10-seat, twin-engine Cessna Citation Latitude in a fiery wreck at the end of the small airport's runway
Dale's sister Kelley Earnhardt confirmed that the family and pilots were safe
Earnhardt was reportedly flying to Bristol, Tennessee, to announce Saturday night's NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Bass Pro Shops/NRA Night Race.
The 44-year-old, was transported to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries and has since been released, according to an NBC spokesperson.
Amy and little Isla were also taken away by paramedics, and they too are believed to have suffered minor injuries.
Both of the aircraft's pilots also escaped with their lives, and are not thought to have been seriously harmed.
Earnhardt Jr. is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and retired as a full-time NASCAR driver in 2017.
He has since been working as a sport's analyst for NASCAR on NBC.
An NBC Sports spokesperson, 'We're incredibly grateful that Dale, his wife Amy, daughter Isla, and the two pilots are safe following today's accident.'
'After being discharged from the hospital, we communicated with Dale and his team, and we're all in agreement that he should take this weekend off to be with his family. We look forward to having him back in the booth next month at Darlington.'
Video and pictures from the scene shows the fire has since been extinguished
The charred remains of the plane are seen above on the grassy field at the Tennessee airport
Video captured from the scene show Earnhardt Jr. laying in the grass as first responders try to place a brace around his neck.
He appeared to be conscious and communicating throughout the interaction.
Pictures from the scene show the 10-seat, twin-engine Cessna Citation Latitude in a fiery wreck at the end of the small airport's runway.
Other footage shows plumes of smoke coming from the wreckage and the charred remains once the fire was finally extinguished.
'I can confirm Dale, Amy & Isla along with his two pilots were involved in a crash in Bristol TN this afternoon,' Dale's sister Kelley Earnhardt said in a statement immediately following the crash.
'Everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. We have no further information at this time. Thank you for your understanding.'
It's not known what the specific cause of the crash was, but the National Transportation Safety Board says an investigation is underway.
Large plumes of smoke can be seen from the road near the airport where the crash occurred
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