MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) -- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report on the fatal crash, which involved an aircraft registered to Grammy Award-winning songwriter Brett James.

The plane had departed from Nashville and then crashed in Macon County on September 18th, claiming the lives of three people, including James. The preliminary data from the NTSB report indicates that the Cirrus SR225 aircraft entered a "steep spiral" before crashing near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin.

James was known for writing songs for artists such as Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Tim McGraw.

Melody Carole and Meryl Wilson were also killed in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the NTSB are continuing their investigation into the

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