NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Three people are dead after a small plane flying from Nashville crashed in North Carolina Thursday afternoon, according to Macon County, NC officials and FlightAware data.

Nashville songwriter Brett Cornelius, who goes by Brett James and wrote songs like ‘When the Sun Goes Down,’ is among the dead, according to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

James also co-wrote “Jesus Take the Wheel,” which was made famous by Carrie Underwood, and “I Hold On,” a song for Dierks Bentley.

James was a 2020 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was 57 years old.

WSMV’s sister station FOX Carolina reports that a plane crashed near Iotla Valley Elementary School at around 3 p.m.

FlightAware data shows the Cirrus SR22T plane took off from John C. Tune Airport in

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