Dale Earnhardt Jr. In Fiery Plane Crash in TN, Released From Hospital
Dale Earnhardt Jr. In Fiery Plane Crash Released From Hospital
UPDATE
5:50 AM PT -- 8/16 -- NBC Sports released a statement saying they spoke with Dale and his team after the incident and are in "agreement that he should take this weekend off to be with his family." They're hoping to see him back in the booth next month at Darlington.
UPDATE
4:16 PM PT -- A source close to the situation tells TMZ Sports ... Dale and his family have all been discharged from the hospital and are expected to be okay.
UPDATE
3:12 PM PT -- WCYB in Bristol has obtained footage of Dale Jr. being treated by EMS at the scene of the crash.
UPDATE
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UPDATE
2:05 PM PT -- The FAA tells TMZ Sports ... the airplane rolled off the end of the runway at 12:40 PM PT. We're told an investigation is currently underway and the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to determine a cause of the crash.
UPDATE
1:58 PM PT -- Dale Jr.'s sister, Kelley, just released a statement ... confirming Dale, his wife and daughter -- as well as 2 pilots -- were involved in the crash.
UPDATE
"Everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. We have no further information at this time. Thank you for your understanding."
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a passenger on an airplane that caught fire after crashing in Tennessee ... and officials tell TMZ Sports he was transported to a nearby hospital.
The plane -- registered under Earnhardt's JR Motorsports -- crashed at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Carter County just minutes ago. No word on what caused the crash.
Officials tell us Dale Jr. made it off of the plane alive ... but his current status is still unknown. We're told there were other passengers on the plane, but officials do not have a complete passenger list yet.
Reportedly, Earnhardt's wife, Amy, and 1-year-old daughter, Isla, were both on the plane as well. Officials would not confirm that with us, nor share their health status.
FYI -- the aircraft is a 10-seat, twin-engine Cessna Citation Latitude ... and the pictures show the plane was a fiery wreck at the end of the runway at the small airport.
BREAKING PHOTOS: Plane reportedly carrying Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife crashes in Elizabethton, Tennessee; both are believed to be okay following the crash - WJHL-TV pic.twitter.com/DpB7CSx4hg
— News Breaking LIVE (@NewsBreaking) August 15, 2019 @NewsBreaking
We've reached out to Dale Jr.'s rep for comment ... and all they would say is “we are aware of the situation, and will put out a statement later.”
Originally Published -- 1:41 PM PT
