Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James, 57, died when a small aircraft crashed in North Carolina, along with his wife Melody Carole Wilson, 59, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson, 28.
The plane, a Cirrus SR22T, departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville and crashed in a field near Franklin, North Carolina, in the afternoon. There were no survivors among the three onboard.
Authorities say the crash site was close to an elementary school, though no injuries occurred on the ground. The FAA and NTSB are investigating what led up to the accident.
James was well known for penning major country hits including “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and is survived by four adult children from a previous marriage.