Canadian family of 5 killed in Nashville plane crash identified

The five Canadians killed in a plane crash in Nashville have been identified as a family from King Township.

Mayor Steve Pellegrini says 39-year-old Rimma Dotsenko, her husband, 43-year-old Victor, and their three children died when the single-engine plane crashed alongside a highway west of downtown Nashville on Monday.

“On behalf of King Township, I extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the Dotsenko family from our community who tragically lost their lives in the small plane crash in Nashville, Tennessee,” Pellegrini’s statement read.

“This is a heartbreaking and devastating loss for our tight-knit community. While we await further details from the ongoing investigation, our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of the victims during this incredibly difficult time. We also extend our gratitude to the first responders and officials involved in the response and investigation.”

UMCA Rich Tree Academy officials confirmed that Emma, Adam, and David Dotsenko attended the private school in Vaughan.

“These beautiful children lit up our hallways every day,” the statement read. “Words cannot express the profound sadness and grief we are experiencing as we mourn the loss of the Dotsenko family.”

CityNews has confirmed that Victor Dotsenko graduated from the Brampton Flight Centre in 2022 with a private pilot licence.

In a recording of radio transmissions, the pilot tells air traffic controllers that his engine has shut down, he has overflown John C. Tune airport and has circled around in an attempt to land.

“I’m at 1,600 [feet]. I’m going to be landing. I don’t know where,” Victor Dotsenko is heard saying. “I’m too far away, I won’t make it.”

Witness describes scene following fatal airplane crash

It’s unclear where the plane took off from, but it made stops in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Mount Sterling, Kentucky. It then departed for Nashville, Tennessee.

The plane referred to in the radio recordings was a 1978 Piper PA-32R based in Ontario. The Canadian Civil Aircraft Register shows that the aircraft was registered to a numbered company as of last July.

The plane crashed as Matthew Wiser was driving on the interstate, and he posted a photo of the fiery wreckage on social media.

“I saw an airplane essentially crash out of the sky, fall out of the sky, and hit the ground at around a 45-degree angle,” Wiser said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “When it hit the ground, there was a 30 to 40-foot explosion of fire. And all of the traffic on the interstate stopped and kind of processed what they saw.”

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it has assigned a representative to the U.S.-led investigation.

With files from The Associated Press