A North Carolina couple died on Labor Day when the small plane they were flying crashed in Tennessee, officials say.
William Gist was piloting a Cessna 182P the evening of Monday, Sept. 5, when the plane crashed near Cleveland, Tennessee, a Bradley Counter Emergency Management Agency officer told McClatchy News. William Gist and his wife, Beth Ann Gist, who was his passenger, were killed in the crash.
The couple were from Black Mountain, North Carolina, the officer said.
William Gist worked as the OB-GYN Residency Program Director at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, the center’s website shows.
His colleagues recall him as a beloved member of the community, according to WLOS.
“Dr. Gist was one of the most well-loved people I have ever worked with. He was someone who was dedicated and compassionate, sharing every bit of themselves with our community,” MAHEC OB-GYN Department Chair Dr. Beth Buys told WLOS.
Buys said the Gists “brought love and sunshine everywhere they went.”
The crash is being investigated by the The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The crash occurred around 5:15 p.m. when the aircraft crashed into a wooded area while attempting to avoid bad weather, the NTSB said in a statement to McClatchy News. However, the crash’s official cause has not been determined, and the investigation could take 12-24 months to complete, according to the NTSB.
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