Stunning new details have emerged about the plane crash that killed songwriter Brett James and his wife, 59-year-old Melody Carole, and her 28-year-old daughter, Meryl Wilson, last month.
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The 57-year-old James co-wrote Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "When The Sun Goes Down" for Kenny Chesney. He also wrote hits for Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, and Martina McBride.
The small-engine airplane crashed in a field near Iotla Valley Elementary School on September 18.
The Plane Was Spiraling
A video showed James' Cirrus SR22T twisting out of the air near the runway at Macon County Airport in Franklin, North Carolina, where he was attempting to land. This is according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). PEOPLE reported the news.
James had requested a visual approach to land at Macon County Airport after departing from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. He intended to perform a 360° turn to land but lost control of the aircraft during the maneuver.
NTSB investigators said James's plane was at 6,800 feet. Air traffic controllers received no further transmissions after James stated his intentions.
Cameras showed the plane descending in a left turn before it entered a "tightening spiral" and crashed.
"Multiple witnesses ... reported observing the airplane flying at a low altitude near the airport and over a nearby school playground," said the report.
The report added that the plane was "rocking from side to side," then began "rolling inverted and descending behind a tree line."
Flight records indicate that James took off from Nashville at 12:41 p.m. It was around 2:48 p.m. when he attempted to land. The report stated there were no signs of engine failure, and the plane is being examined further.
Nashville Remembers and Respects Brett James
College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit shared this about James on social media around the time of his death:
"Living in Nashville, I've been very fortunate to meet a lot of incredible people...Brett was certainly that." Herbstreit went on to refer to James as "one of the most talented and yet humble and down to earth guys I've met."
Chesney said he "didn't want to believe" James had died.
"Brett and I shared a unique bond," he wrote in a post. "A Brotherhood. A kinship."
He added, "Half the songs in my shows are songs he wrote or songs we wrote together. So it's impossible for me to do shows moving forward and not think about him."
Photo by Terry Wyatt / Getty Images
