Five people died after a single-engine plane crashed near an airport in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday night, officials said.

The aircraft crashed along Interstate 40 around 7:45 p.m. local time after the pilot of the plane reported engine failure and requested an emergency landing, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said, according to the Tennessean, a part of the USA TODAY Network.

The plane was just three miles south of John C. Tune Airport when it landed in a grassy median along the interstate. The pilot had radioed that the plane was not going to make it to the airport just before it crashed. The aircraft did not hit any buildings or vehicles as it crashed.

"According to some witness information, their plane was obviously in distress as it was coming over the interstate, right before it hit the ground," Aaron said. "I think he was having significant issues keeping the aircraft under control."

Plane caught fire

Kendra Loney, a spokesperson for the Nashville Fire Department, called the crash "catastrophic," adding that witnesses told authorities the plane imploded on impact.

Firefighters who responded to the crash site were met with heavy flames but were able to extinguish the blaze and preserve evidence for the investigation, Loney said.

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"Our thoughts go out to the loved ones of all those on board the single-engine aircraft that crashed near Interstate 40 this evening," Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

Where was the flight coming from?

Nashville International Airport spokesperson Stacey Nickens said the plane was a C-FBWH that left Mount Sterling, Kentucky around 7:19 p.m. and was set to arrive at the airport in Nashville around 7:43 p.m., according to its flight pattern.

Delays expected on I-40 as investigation continues

Police advised drivers to expect delays on Tuesday as some lanes on I-40 East remain closed.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

Sarah Al-Arshani covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at salarshani@gannett.com.

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