A tragic plane crash in Nashville claimed the lives of an entire Canadian family – and the National Transportation Safety Board recently released their findings. Turns out, it was all caused by a simple pilot error.
At a glance:
- A small plane crash near Nashville killed a Canadian family of five in 2023
- NTSB investigation revealed pilot error, not mechanical failure, caused the crash
- Pilot Victor Dotsenko incorrectly positioned the fuel selector, starving the engine
- The plane went down near Interstate 40, just 3 miles from its destination
- Dotsenko’s desperate final words to air traffic control were: “I’m not going to make it”
Pilot’s Fatal Mistake Revealed
Federal investigators have determined that a preventable error by Canadian pilot Victor Dotsenko led to the fiery crash that killed him and his entire family. The National Transportation Safety Board’s report concluded that Dotsenko incorrectly positioned the fuel selector valve in his Piper PA-32RT, causing the engine to be starved of fuel during the critical landing approach.
The small aircraft crashed in Nashville, Tennessee on March 4, 2023, killing Dotsenko, his wife Rimma, and their three children who were traveling from their home in King Township, Ontario. Their tragic journey had included stops in Pennsylvania and Kentucky before the fatal attempt to land at John C Tune Airport in Nashville.
Final Moments Captured in Communication
Recordings of Dotsenko’s final communications with air traffic controllers revealed the pilot’s growing panic as he realized something was terribly wrong.
“I’m going to be landing, I don’t know where,” Dotsenko told controllers as his engine began to fail while aligned with the runway but unable to maintain proper descent.
His final words were equally chilling as he realized the severity of his situation just moments before impact. “I’m too far away. I’m not going to make it,” Dotsenko said before the plane plummeted near Interstate 40, narrowly missing motorists before bursting into flames near a Costco store.
Thorough Investigation Found No Other Causes
Investigators conducted extensive examinations of the aircraft wreckage and found no evidence of mechanical failure that would have contributed to the crash. “This setting would starve the engine of fuel and was likely the result of the pilot changing the fuel selector handle in preparation for landing,” the NTSB report stated, confirming that proper maintenance of the fuel system was not a factor.
Witnesses on the ground reported hearing the engine operating at full power before abnormal sounds and popping noises were heard, consistent with fuel starvation. Several motorists narrowly escaped disaster as the plane came down near the busy interstate, with 911 calls reflecting the shock and horror of those who witnessed the family’s final moments.
The tragedy serves as a somber reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in aviation, even for experienced pilots making routine flights.
