A plane crash in Tennessee that killed a Canadian family of five in March 2024 was caused by pilot error, according to the final report from authorities. Victor Dotsenko, along with his wife Rimma, 39, and their three children — David, 12, Adam, 10, and Emma, 7 — were on board the single-engine Piper PA32RT when it crashed on a frontage road near downtown Nashville, about two miles from John C. Tune Airport, just before 7:45 p.m. on March 4, 2024.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s final report, released on March 5, stated that the crash resulted from the pilot’s failure to properly position the fuel selector during the approach and landing, leading to fuel starvation and the complete loss of engine power.

The report revealed that Dotsenko, 43, was approaching the airport when he informed the control tower that he needed to overfly the runway. He didn’t specify why he couldn’t land but mentioned engine issues and his intention to attempt a landing. He told the controller, “My engine turned off, I’m at 1,600, I’m going to be landing, I don’t know where.”

The controller declared an emergency and cleared the pilot to land on runway 2, which Dotsenko could see but was too far away to reach. The plane eventually crashed into terrain near an interstate, two miles south of the runway, leading to a significant post-impact fire.