Overview

• The single‑engine Cirrus SR22T went down around 3 p.m. near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, North Carolina, with no injuries reported on the ground.
• The aircraft was registered to James under his legal name, Brett Cornelius, and departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, according to FAA and flight‑tracking data.
• Officials identified the victims as Brett James, his wife, Melody Carole, and his stepdaughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson, and confirmed there were no survivors.
• The FAA said the plane crashed under unknown circumstances, and the NTSB is in charge of the investigation and future updates.
• Tributes from across the music community highlighted James’s Grammy for co‑writing “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” his 2020 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame induction, and his extensive catalog of hits.